What the Future Brings
by RagdollPrincess
Summary: Reese Jacobsen meets Thorin Oakenshield at the inn where she often stays while on trading missions. What happens when Reese is drawn to Thorin's dark eyed nephew when the Company of Thorin Oakenshield arrives at Reese's home seeking refuge? AU.
1. How Things Began

**A/N: Hi everyone - now that I have gotten my stride with this story, I sometimes come back to read it from the beginning. I notice that as the story progresses that I seem to find my stride with my writing, which is understandable considering this my first ever fiction of any kind. I therefore plan to come back to tighten up these first few chapters by addressing typos and making the sentences not so short. I'll also add more narrative within the dialogue so that the scenes flow more smoothly. Therefore, if you are new to this fic and are put off by the jarring nature of the the early writing, please do consider persevering as I find things are a lot more fluid as the story progresses (around chapter 7 or 8). XOXO RagdollPrincess**

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><p>Reese heard a knock on the door of her room at the inn and smiled. She opened her door to let Thorin in. "You're late," she said, pretending to glower, as she shut the door behind him.<p>

Thorin grunted as he strode to the bed and began to remove his coat. Even though she was accustomed to Thorin's temperamental humour, Reese's eyebrows rose. His being a dwarf made him moody, and it seemed his being Thorin Oakenshield made him particularly so. Not that she minded. In fact she noticed herself become quickly aroused as he brooded with his back to her, removing the rest of his clothing.

When Thorin had stripped bare, he turned to her. It had been several months since she'd last seen him, and she was reminded of the magnificence of his physique. His thick, strong arms and legs were covered with ropes of muscle. His broad, powerful shoulders swooped to a hard, chiseled chest. A line of hair fell from his chest down rippling abs, between narrow hips. Her breath hitched when she saw he was hard for her already.

Thorin appeared annoyed to see that she was still dressed and moved across the room towards her. He quickly, and not too gently, removed her leather bodice, pulling her linen tunic over her head. He led her to the bed where he pushed her down so that he could pull off her thigh high leather boots and trousers. "Mr. Oakenshield," Reese breathed coyly, taken back by his impatience. She usually hated being coy, but she felt his urgency called for comic relief of some sort. "Do you honestly expect me to spread my legs without your even greeting me hello after not seeing you for three months."

Thorin only grunted in response. His eyes bore into hers as he pushed her undergarments to her ankles. Reese found herself naked and exposed in front of him. She was wet for him already, the powerful scent of her desire permeating the air.

Reese raised her eyebrows. She'd rarely seen Thorin in this bad of a humour. Their arrangement didn't require them to spend time on pleasantries nor did it require his being in a good mood, although over the years they'd become comfortable and friendly with each other.

Once she was naked, Thorin moved over her body, capturing her lips in a bruising kiss. Their coupling was brief and hurried, although not disappointing. Reese's climax came quickly, harsh and punishing as her body was wracked with spasms while Thorin spilled his seed into her. He collapsed over her on the bed, breathing heavily. Reese lay with her eyes closed lulled into a state of bliss, her face still buried in the blankets on the bed.

Thorin rose up and suddenly pulled out of her. She gasped at the feel of cold air on her body. She heard Thorin cross the room, expecting him to get a rag to clean up. Instead, she heard him pull on his trousers and looked at him in surprise. "What the hell?" she exclaimed.

"I have a matter to attend to." Thorin stated simply without even glancing at her.

Reese's eyebrows rose in disbelief. "Now? You just got here!"

Thorin didn't respond as he pulled his tunic over his head. "How long are you in town for?" he asked as he laced up his boots.

She looked at him with shock, answering confusedly, "For only two nights. Adam is anxious to return to the castle because his wife is expecting to give birth any day."

Thorin laughed, "Expecting again, is she? Those two are determined to repopulate Middle Earth with Futurians."

Reese just looked at him, her face disbelieving, as she watched him don his coat. "Seriously, Thorin, you've been here less than ten minutes! Is this a joke?"

Thorin glanced at her. "I'll make it up to you tomorrow night." He strode from the room, clearly already preoccupied with his next task, pulling the door closed behind him.

"Uh .. bye!" Reese said in disbelief to the empty room, collapsing back on the bed and pulling the covers over herself, staring at the ceiling in mute shock. After a moment, she felt wetness begin to trickle between her legs and rose to get a rag. If it weren't for this evidence of their coupling, she would wonder if she had imagined his visit.

"I miss condoms," she muttered to herself as she cleaned Thorin's seed off her body, even though she was in no danger of getting pregnant. Shortly after she first bed Thorin, she traded with the elves for herbs that she could take in order to prevent her from becoming pregnant, so long as she took the herbs once a week.

Reese picked up a book and crawled into bed to read. She hadn't expected to need her book, but was glad she'd brought it along. She shook her head, laughing at Thorin. Instead of reading, her mind wandered to when she'd first bed him.

Reese first met Thorin five years earlier. She had been on a trading mission, which had brought her to the town of Exeter, populated by men. Reese and her companions, Adam and Borgia, had taken rooms at the inn. They went to the pub for dinner, and Reese immediately noticed the dwarf at a table in the corner.

She wasn't overly familiar with dwarves, but this dwarf was unlike any of the others she had met in her work. Like Dwarves, he was stocky with broad shoulders and long hair. However, he was quite tall for a dwarf, and his beard was shorn close to his face. Although he was wearing a heavy coat, she could tell that his body was strong and fit. She doubted there was a spare ounce of fat on his powerful frame. This dwarf also had a certain bearing and presence that commanded notice.

Reese had not gone unnoticed by Thorin either. His eyese were drawn to her immediately because she was unlike any woman he'd seen before. She was wearing a leather travelling coat with a hood, leather pants stuffed into thigh high leather boots, and a leather bodice over a brown tunic. The leather was well worn, clinging intimately to her skin, and her dark hair was shorn short, two or three inches long. The effect, although startling, was not unappealing, highlighting her high cheekbones and golden brown eyes. Thorin was surprised by the arousal she triggered in him.

Thorin glanced at her companions, two men, one large and intimidating and one small and wiry. They are also dressed in worn leather for travelling. They removed their coats as they settled a their table, revealing the weaponry they wore on their bodies. Both of the men carrried swords at their waists, and telltale protusions on their bodies signaled additional concealed weapons.

The woman was also armed with a dagger strapped to each of her thighs. Thorin felt his cock tighten as his eyes lingered hungrily on her legs. The straps around her thighs were overwhelmingly errotic, and he imagined her wearing those, and nothing else. He ground his teeth and looked away. One of the men must be her partner, although they all maintained a non-possessive distance from each other. He felt the woman's eyes on him before she was drawn away by a comment from the larger man, likely her husband, about ordering food. Thorin returned his attention to his own meal, distracting himself with thoughts about the work he completed at his forge that day and what was required the next.

After the barmaid brought Reese, Adam, and Borgia food, they talked about their plans to return home to the castle the next day, now that their trading had been completed. Reese frequently glanced at the dwarf in the corner, feeling her attention irresistably drawn to him. She found him terribly attractive, making her think about the last time she'd lain with a man. A blush stained her cheeks at the though.

"Like what you see?" Adam suddenly asked, snapping her back to the conversation. Her cheeks burned crimson as Adam and Borgia both smirked at her. "You've been staring at that dwarf since we entered this pub. You're going to give your neck a pinched nerve."

"Oh my god that's so embarrassing," Reese laughed, putting her head in her hands. "I thought I was being discrete." The men continued to laugh at her, and she couldn't help but laugh along with them.

"Maybe you should talk to him." Adam suggested. "How long has it been since you've gotten a piece of ass?"

"Jesus Christ!" Reese exclaimed, shaking her head and glancing around the room, laughing. "Are we so completey out of things to talk about that my sex life is the only thing left?"

"I'm just looking out for you. It's healthy to have a good lay every now and then." Adam winked at her while Borgia smirked.

"What are you, my wing man now?" Reese asked.

Adam laughed. "No, just your friend who wants to see you happy." He paused, then said gently. "It's been ten years since your husband died, Reese." She crossed her arms and looked away from him. Adam allowed her to take a minute to compose herself after he introduced the topic of her husband.

Then he continued, "It's okay to move on. I know you haven't slept with anyone since he died. I think that dwarf over there is perfectly capable of handling your needs. He looks lonely, like you. He looks like your type, too. Grumpy, lots of hair. Big."

Borgia eyed the dwarf in the corner and grunted in agreement, never one to waste words unnecessarily.

"You guys!" Reese said, her cheeks burning. She glanced at the dwarf again, before leaning forward to whisper harshly, "Even if I were interested, I don't think Middle Earth is the safest place for a woman to sidle up to a man in a bar and hit on him."

"I have no concerns about your safety with that man," Adam said. Borgia nodded in agreement.

Reese shook her head. "Well, you would know. You're the experts on dangerous people."

"Oh, I imagine he's plenty dangerous. I don't think he's a dwarf I'd like to piss off," said Adam contemplatively. "Just not dangerous to you."

She paused, leaning back again. "How do you even pick up a man in Middle Earth? Like, what's a good Middle Earth pick up line? 'Come here often?'" She mused.

"How about 'Hey big guy, it's been years since I've had a good hard dick in my mouth, and I'd like to start with yours.'" Borgia quipped grinning. Adam howled with laughter, slapping Borgia on the back.

"Okay! That's enough!" Reese barked, holding her hands up in protest, drawing attention from those around her. She leaned forward, hissing, "I think that's enough talk of dicks in my mouth for the time being. I am sufficiently mortified. I'll take your advice under consideration, but please let's not talk about this anymore." The two men laughed at her, and she couldn't help but shake her head and laugh with them. A few minutes passed as the three sat sipping their ale in comfortable silence.

After a few minutes, Adam stretched and said it was time for him to get some rest. "See you in the morning," he said, winking at Reese. Reese snorted and looked away. Shortly after Adam departed, Borgia drifted off to join a group of rowdy male dwarves, leaving Reese to her thoughts.

Across the room, Thorin found himself observing Reese again, surprised the men had left her. This was no place for a woman to be sitting alone at this time of night, even a well-armed woman. He shrugged, looking away. He was not going to be bothered with the fate of a human lass.

Although he no longer observed her, his thoughts strayed back to the woman. She and her companions seemed like an unusual group. They treated her like a fellow man, and she conducted herself with the demeanor of a woman who was independent of them, their equal.

"Is this seat taken?" Thorin was startled from his thoughts by a voice near him. The woman was standing next to him, holding her ale and her travelling coat in her hand.

Thorin's startling blue eyes met her brown gaze as she smiled at him. He saw a flash of anxiety behind them as he glowered at her. "Obviously not, as you've been watching me for some time and I'm sure have not seen anyone else occupy this chair. Although I can't imagine what is wrong with your own seat."

Thorin glowered further as Reese smiled and sat down, stretching her legs in front of her and crossing them at the ankles as she reclined back in the chair. Thorin couldn't help glancing at her breasts as she settled into the chair. He felt a tightening in his crotch again, and looked away irritated and wondering what her purpose could be.

"My chair has grown cold, and I decided to find someplace warmer." Her eyes met his again, and he could not mistake the meaning in the look she gave him. He was taken aback by how forward this woman was being.

He leaned forward in his chair, crossed his arms over his broad chest, considering her. "I would have thought your husband could help you with this problem." He nodded in the direction of the stairs Adam had gone up.

She smiled. "Not my husband."

"Forgive me," Thorin said sarcastically. "Your companions then."

She stared at him with her intense dark eyes. "If I understand your implication, that is not the purpose of my relationship with these men. One of them is married, happily I might add, evidenced by the number of children waiting for him at home. And the other, well, he prefers only the company of males." She nodded in the direction of the group Borgia had joined.

Thorin couldn't help but ask. "What is the purpose of your relationship with them then."

She mused before answering, "They are here for my protection."

"So you are a prostitute, sharing your earnings with these men in exchange for their protecting you. I must admit you are dressed oddly for a whore."

She laughed, which surprised him considering his rudeness. "No, I am not a prostitute, although considering where we are I'm not surprised by your confusion at my relationship with my men. I am a trader and ambassador for my people. I find Middle Earth to be a world that is unsafe for a woman to travel alone, and these men have certain … skills … that provide me with the protection I need in order to accomplish my work. We finished our business today and are returning to our community tomorrow. I have no husband, nor am I seeking one. I am simply looking for a man to bed, a man who knows what he is doing."

He did not speak. His face was unreadable as he looked at her, then he laughed harshly and said, "You're wasting your time, woman."

She leaned towards him, and his breath caught as he glimpsed the swell of her breasts above her bodice. "Am I?" She asked, in a suddenly low husky voice. "Surely dwarves have needs as well, and you seem lonely, Master Dwarf. Can I not offer you an arrangement that would benefit us both?"

Trying to ignore the aching in his crotch, he looked at her again before asking, "There are several human men in this room who have been eyeing you since you walked in. Why not choose someone from your own race?"

"While these men may be of my race, I don't feel kinship with them. I am Futurian." She stated simply

Thorin was indeed surprised. Although he had never met a Futurian, he had heard of this group of humans who, by some trick of fate, had fallen through a hole in their own world and landed in Middle Earth, unable to get back to their home. It was believed they came from several ages in the future.

As far as he understood, when Futurians began to arrive in Middle Earth about three hundred years ago, they had originally been encouraged to live with the race of men. However, they had found themselves unable to adapt to the customs of their new people. After thirty years of trying to adjust, the Futurians separated from the men to establish their own community with their own customs. He thought he had heard they had received help from elves to build a fortress in which the Futurians lived.

Thorin understood that Futurians primarily kept to themselves, not interacting greatly with the other races. It was for this reason, likely, that Thorin had never met a Futurian before, despite his wide travels. He had heard Futurians had customs vastly different from the other races of Middle Earth, particular the women, who seemed to expect greater independence and freedom than what had been afforded them when joining with Middle Earth men. Thorin felt himself begin to understand this woman's forward behaviour towards him.

Pulling himself from his thoughts, he considered the female before him. He could tell that despite being forward, she felt nervous. His lips twitched in amusement as he saw this bold woman waver under his stare. Something about her anxiety made him take pity on her, and he felt himself begin to relax and consider her proposal.

"What is your name?" he asked her.

Reese looked at him in surprise, noticing the change in his demeanor. "Reese Jacobsen. And yours?"

"I am Thorin Oakenshield," he said. Her eyes flickered in surprise. So, even the Futurians were aware of him, he mused.

"Are you really?" She asked. "Forgive me. I hadn't realized to whom I was speaking." She seemed genuinely respectful of his position as King Under the Mountain.

"There is no forgiveness required," he said. "Since you seem to know who I am, you must also know that I no longer have claim to that status."

She considered him carefully, and for the first time Thorin wondered what she was thinking. Finally, she said, "I'm sorry for what happened to your people, and I'm sorry for the exile you find yourselves in today. Being without a home is … very difficult." He realized she was speaking from experience, thinking of her own people's exile in Middle Earth.

She took a breath and brought her eyes back to his. "Well, Thorin Oakenshield, I'm not very good at playing games, so I'll speak plainly. My husband died several years ago, and I've not been with a man since. I have no intention of wedding again, so I assure you I'm not trying to initiate a courtship. I'm looking for a man to bed me, or for me to bed to be more accurate," she laughed. "I'm hoping that you will indulge me." She smiled sweetly at him, her brown eyes dancing teasingly at him.

Thorin leaned back in his chair, amusement plain on his face. Despite himself, he found he liked this woman with her bold conversation and unusual mannerisms. "Why me?" He asked, seeming genuinely confused.

"Because I find myself extremely attracted to you, and because you seem like you could use a woman to bed you as well, considering that you are sitting here in isolation, despite the fact that several of your kin are also present in this room." She nodded towards a nearby table with several dwarves seated at it, many of whom were casting glances at Thorin.

"If I am wrong in assuming you would also benefit from such an arrangement, by all means send me on my way. No offense will be taken." She smiled warmly at him.

Thorin deliberated for a moment. His eyes traveled down her body. He imagined what it would be like to have her naked, in his bed, with her lips wrapped around his cock, those dark eyes looking up at him as he fucked her mouth. He imagined then what it would be like to watch those dark eyes as she orgasmed while he pounded furiously into her. His eyes traveled over her thighs. The straps holding the daggers to her thighs only drew his attention to between her legs. It had been so long since he had tasted a woman. He felt himself harden at the thought of his mouth on her.

Reese saw Thorin's eyes darken as he considered her, and suspected that she knew what he was thinking. She smiled with a brief laugh and dropped her eyes to his hands. He had large, strong hands with a sprinkling of dark hair on his knuckles. She imagined what those hands could do to her, cupping her breasts, stroking the folds between her legs, holding her hips while he thrust into her. Reese bit her bottom lip and cleared her throat, looking away from Thorin to gather her thoughts. She addressed him as she surveyed the room, "The decision is yours, Thorin Oakenshield. If you would care to join me, I am staying in room number four."

Reese looked at him suddenly, smiling as her smoldering gaze pierced his. "I do hope that you won't disappoint me." Thorin watched her as she walked from the room, noticing the swell of her buttocks beneath her leather pants. She nodded at Borgia as she left the room.


	2. The First Time

**I'm so flattered that people have already read/followed/favourited/reviewed this story. Thank you! For those of you who have already followed this story, make sure you check Chapter 1. I changed it after you started following.**

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><p>In her room, Reese's heart was pounding. She could not believe her audacity in her behaviour towards Thorin Okenshield. She laughed, sitting on her bed and resting her head in her hands, taking a few steadying breaths. Of all of the dwarves she would hit on, of course she would approach a king!<p>

She wondered if he would come to her room. She was partly afraid that he would. She had not had sex with anyone since her husband had died, and she wasn't sure that she was ready. But she also hoped Thorin would come, again imagining the things he could do to her with those beautiful hands.

She had no interest in having any kind of a relationship with any of the Futurian men, even if purely sexual. Such a relationship would only lead to complications. She intended never to marry again, and having sex with one of the men in their small community would lead to expectation from him and others. After the death of her husband and children, she simply was not interested in opening her heart to another person in that way ever again.

However she was not opposed to the idea of a delightful and satisfying physical relationship. Lately, she had begun to be interested again in sex. She'd been having the most arousing dreams, often leaving her feeling frustrated after she woke.

And so she had been presented with the problem of finding someone to meet this need. In her travels, she encountered several men, hobbits, and elves, and also met the occasional dwarf. She immediately had ruled out taking a lover from the race of men. Their customs were so antiquated and oppressive to women. Their relations with the Futurians was problematic particuclarly because of these hegemonic values. They saw her as one of theirs, a woman to be possessed and dominated, and treated her as such whenever she met with them, expecting her to remain silent while Adam or Borgia did the trading.

She initially thought Elves may be more suitable, but she found their ritual and pensive approach to life boring and stifling. She's probably fall asleep with boredom before she even had her clothes off.

She immediately ruled out Hobbits. She loved hobbits, but she didn't find them attractive. She was looking for someone with some intensity, some snap, for lack of a better word. She thought of the type of men she'd been with in the past, and they were all big, strong, proud men. Even though she valued her independence, she always liked men she felt a little bit afraid of, as though they were a little bit dangerous. She loved men who treated her with kindness and respect but who you knew could explode anytime.

There was a knock on her door, and her heart stopped. She stood to open the door, and smiled. Yes, she thought to herself, Thorin Okenshield was just the man she had been looking for.

She stood considering Thorin. Despite standing only a few inches taller than she was, he completely filled her doorway with his broad shoulders. He asked in a low voice, "May I come in?"

Reese nodded breathlessly, backing into the room. Not taking his eyes off her, Thorin gently shut the door behind him. Reese saw his gaze on her and felt light headed. She couldn't believe this was going to happen. She suddenly became very aware of her breasts rising and falling with her breath. She bit her lip nervously.

Thorin saw again that she was nervous and asked, "Do you wish to reconsider?"

She shook her head, "I'm not going to. I'm just a little bit nervous. It's been a long time." Then her eyes snapped to his. "Do you want to change your mind?" She looked worried.

He smiled, stepping towards her. "I don't think so. Although I must admit that this wasn't how I expected my evening to end."

She laughed. "It's how I was hoping mind would end," she admitted.

He continued to move towards her. "It hasn't ended yet," he said huskily, making Reese's heart jumped.

Thorin took her hands in his and noticed they were shaking. He wanted to help her feel more comfortable and began to rub her palms with his thumbs. "I know it has been a long time for you. We don't need to rush, and you can change your mind at anytime."

Reese smiled to herself, surprised by how comfortable she felt with him already. Remembering her thoughts about kindness in dangerous men, she nodded.

Suddenly her eyes caught his. "I need to not get pregnant," she stated. Thorin nodded. "It would be devastating," she added.

"It would be devastating for me as well," Thorin agreed. "You can trust me." Surprisingly, Reese believed him.

Still holding her hands, Thorin drew her slowly to his chest, his blue gaze holding her hostage. He cupped her chin and he raised her face to his. Bringing his lips to hers, he kissed her gently. Reese could smell the ale and spice on his breath from his meal, bringing back memories of kisses from past lovers. She shut her eyes and pulled away slightly, her brow furrowed.

Thorin stepped back slightly, considering her pained expression. "Your husband?" He asked, remembering what she'd said about not laying with anyone since his death. Reese nodded, taking a steadying breath before looking at him.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Just some memories surfacing." Anxiety was back in her eyes as she looked at him, wondering if he was going to change his mind.

"Shhhh," Thorinsaid soothingly as drew her to him again. He held her close, stroking her hair, allowing her to become accustomed to his closeness.

Surprised at how comfortable she felt with the intimate gesture, Reese willed herself to breath deeply. As she filled her lungs she caught his scent. He smelled of leather, smoke, metal, wood, and manly musk. He smelled delicious. She nodded, moaning quietly as she drank his scent in.

Raising her head she nodded, "Thank you." Then her brow furrowed again. "Just so you know, I'm not one if those women who needs sex to be all lovey dovey and romantic and weepy. I'm having a little moment here, but I believe I used to be actually quite good in bed." Her eyes searched his for reassurance that he hadn't been put off by her emotional display.

Thorin's beard twitched. He dropped his head, his lips capturing hers again. "I have no doubt of your abilities in bed or that I will enjoy myself greatly this evening," he murmured. He drew his hands up to her face as his tongue traced her bottom lip, requesting permission for access. Reese parted her lips, moaning as his tongue glazed over hers.

Thorin groaned softly as Reese pushed her body into his, deepening their kiss. He could taste her want as he kissed her and relished the effect his ministrations were having. He slowly began to kiss down her jawbone, and she moaned again as he slowly ran his tongue from her ear down the side of her neck to her collar bone.

"Have you ever been with anyone other than your husband?" He asked, wondering about her experience.

She nodded, her eyes shut as he continued to kiss her jaw and cheekbones. She licked her lips and said, "Yes, several. Futurian women don't wait until marriage for sex. They frequently have several partners before marriage, if they even bother to get married at all."

"I didn't know that," Thorin said gently, noticing that talking was helping her to relax. "Dwarves are the same. We begin our sexual awakening at a young age."

"How many people have you been with?" She asked him, suddenly curious.

He paused, and said, "I'm not sure. There have been so many men and women in my years that I wouldn't be able to say."

"Men?" Reese asked, surprised.

Thorin nodded. "We begin our sexual experience before we come of age with the help of an older family member of the same sex. Also, male dwarves often lay with each other throughout our lives, considering there are so few females of our race. I prefer women though, unlike your friend downstairs."

Reese nodded, her breath becoming shallow. She had always found the idea of male on male sex very arousing, and she imagined Thorin coupling with a male dwarf. The image was tantalizing.

Thorin noticed Reese was relaxing. He hands drew to the front of her bodice. He looked in her eyes, questioningly, as he went to undo the laces. She nodded, her eyes dark with arousal and excitement. She brought her hands to his shoulders, pushing the fur coat he was still wearing down his arms. He threw her bodice to the floor, removing two concealed daggers in the process. They laughed as Reese pulled a dagger from Thorin's coat as well. "I hope we won't be needing these," she quipped.

Thorin trailed his fingersover her tunic between her breasts and over her abdomen, leaving a firey trail through the thin linen. She drew a sharp breath before Thorin's mouth returned to hers. This kiss was not light and gentle like before. It was slow and deep, his tongue dancing with her tongue. She moaned into his mouth, and he smiled.

Lowering his hands to the hem of her shirt, he lightly stroked her skin at the waist of her leather trousers. The touch sent a jolt of pleasure through Reese's breasts and down her back. She gasped, breaking the kiss. Thorin continued to stroke her sensitive skin as Reese let her head fall back, smiling. "Mmmmmm," she said, grinning lazily. "That feels so good."

Thorin raised his eyebrows and laughed darkley. "We've barely begun, but if that's all it takes to please you, then we have a good night ahead of us." He was glad to see she was beginning to relax and enjoy herself.

She laughed as well and said, "Hopefully not too long a night, Thorin. I'm finding myself getting impatient already." She smiled as she began to remove his layers. Thorin let her pull the tunic over his head.

Reese drew a sharp breath when she saw his bare chest and paused to gaze at his rippling muscles. The years of work as a blacksmith as well as the constant training with a sword had made his chest and stomach strong and hard. His chest was covered with course black hair that narrowed to a trail disappearing between his hips into his trousers.

She continued to trail her fingers through his chest hair, over his rippling abs, dipping one finger under the waistband briefly. She felt Thorin stiffen as she did so, and she peaked up at him, smiling. "We'll get there," she grinned, grazing her hand against the bulge in his pants.

Thorin groaned as she returned her hands to his ribs, gently stroking her fingers up his sides. A glowing flush was beginning spread across her chest. He relished her enjoyment of his body, basking in the heat of her arousal. He held his breath when her mouth dipped to his chest, making a trail with her tongue until she caught his nipple gently between her teeth, making him moan. Reese smiled without letting go of his nippled and glanced up at him, her eyes mischievous and glinting. She loved the effect she was having on him and she was eager to see what else he would enjoy. She continued to suckle at his nipple while dragging her fingertips up and down his ribs, each time dipping a little further into the waistband of his pants.

Reese paused for a second before glancing at Thorin and asking, "What do you like?"

Her voice drew him out of the trance he'd been in while she mouthed his nipple. "What do you mean?" He breathed huskily, distracted by her hands playing at his waistband.

Reese blushed, "I mean, what do you like when you bed someone? I'm wondering how to please you and am curious as to what to expect."

He raised his eyebrows as he considered her. He admitted he found it attractive that this woman was hoping to bring him pleasure. "I like many things," he answered. "I've liked everything you've done so far. I don't think you need to worry about pleasing me. I'm hoping tonight that we can learn to please each other."

She nodded and began to undo his pants, her mouth now trailing down the line of hair on his abdomen. She finished unfastening his pants, and his cock sprang forward. He heard her sudden intake of breath as she gazed at his erect penis.

Reese eyed Thorins erect cock nervously. While it wasn't unusually long, it was very thick. She had always found it difficult to accomodate men's penises, no matter what the size, and she was worried that she would not be able to fit Thorin. "You're very large," she breathed.

He grinned down at her, understanding her meaning. "We'll make sure you're relaxed and ready." His voice was deep and husky, betraying his desire for her.

Reese turned back to Thorin's hard cock, slowly bringing her hand to it. She wrapped her hand around his shaft and found her fingers weren't able to meet when gripping him. She glanced up at him again before lowering her mouth to his penis and gently licking the tip, savouring the salt from his precum.

Thorin tangled his hands in her short hair as his head fell back in a deep moan. Reese continued to lightly lick the tip of his penis while her hand stroked the soft skin of his shaft. He moaned again and looked down at her. He realized she was teasing him by not taking him into her mouth when she quirked her eyebrow at him as they made eye contact. He growled as he fisted her hair, pushing his cock deep into her throat. He felt her moan vibrate against his penis, the sensation overwhelming him for a second. He began to slide himself in and out of her mouth, his skin slick with her saliva. Her eyes smouldered as she sucked his member, never breaking eye contact with him, submitting to his thrusts. The image was even more tantalizing than what he had imagined when they were talking in the pub. He continued to thrust into her mouth until he felt himself coming close to climaxing. With great effort he pulled out of her mouth and roughly drew her to her feet. "Not yet," he growled.

He brought his lips to hers, hard. He thrust his tongue into her mouth hungrily, which she accepted with a moan. Kicking off his pants and boots, Thorin picked Reese up and carried her to the bed, depositing her there roughly. He reached for her boots, drawing them off slowly, never breaking his gaze with her eyes. He stroked the bottom of her feet playfully, and grinned as she gasped. She tried to pull her foot away from him, but his firm grip wouldnt let her escape. He drew a fingernail over the bottom of her foot again, and she whimpered as her brow furrowed, unable to escape him.

Thorin reached for the knife holsters Reese was still wearing on either thigh, unbuckling them and tossing them aside. "I would love to see you with these on, and nothing else, while I fucked you." He growled.

"Oh god," Reese groaned, the image creating a sense of urgency in her as she pulled her tunic over her head. Thorin's hands went to the waist of her pants, which he quickly drew down over her hips and removed. He was surprised to see that she was naked under her pants, not wearing any underclothes.

Reese was completely naked, stretched out below Thorin on the bed. Thorin stepped back, looking at her. She briefly began to feel nervous again and drew her hands to cover her breasts and between her legs. Thorin reached out to stop her. "I'm just taking you in," he said. "It's been a long time for me too, and I've forgotten what its like to gaze upon a woman's naked body." Reese smiled and withdrew her hands from her body.

Thorins eyes trailed over Reese, not missing a single detail. The first thing he noticed was a complicated black tattoo between her breasts, which he found surprising. It was common for dwarf men to have tattoos on their bodies, but he'd never been with a woman bearing a tattoo. The tattoo was beautifully drawn, delicate and ornate. It started right between her breasts and extended down towards her navel, fanning outward below each breast. The luscious curves of the ink were drawn as though to frame and accentuate her breasts. He wondered at the intimacy of her having this artwork placed on her body by another person.

Following the line of the tattoo, his eyes lingered on her full soft breasts with their large brown nipples, and his mouth watered as he imagined sucking them. His eyes travelled down her abdomen, and he was surprised to see that she was hairless between her legs, which he knew to be unusual for human women, even though they were not as hairy as dwarf women. "Why are you bare here?" He asked, briefly trailing a finger down her abdomen, but stopping at her pubic bone. Reese arched up towards his hand, and he chuckled.

"It's a custom of our people where I come from," she gasped. "It's the fashion for women to remove their hair with wax. It's supposed to be pleasing."

"I can see the appeal," he murmured, enjoying being able to see the folds of her skin, even with her legs closed as they were. "It's begging for my mouth." He quirked his eyebrow at her playfully but didn't stop gazing at her body.

His eyes continued to travel down her body to her left thigh where she had a second large tattoo. This tattoo was very different from the first. It was an artistically drawn colorful picture of four owls, two large and two small, perched on a branch, cuddling together. He wondered at the story behind this tattoo. Again, although unusual, the effect was not unappealing. The artwork on her skin served to enhance her beauty.

Reese basked in the heat of Thorin's gaze. It had been years since a man had seen her naked, and he clearly enjoyed the sight of her. She rolled onto her side, propping her head up with her elbow, and gazed at him smiling. "You're making me feel very sexy," she murmured, bringing a hand to her mouth. She licked a finger seductively before reaching for Thorin's erection, trailing her wet finger over the tip. Thorin broke his gaze, dropping his head back moaning.

Thorin raised his eyes to hers, smiling wryly, as he slowly pushed her thighs apart, enjoying being able to see every fold of her. She was clearly wet with want, her skin glistening. He pushed one calloused finger into the folds, applying pressure to her clitoris, causing her to cry out and buck her hips. He chuckled as she closed her eyes and gasped, unconsciously arching her mound into his hand to gain more contact.

Thorin slowly stroked between the folds, dragging a finger over her clitoris before sliding a thick finger into her center. She cried out with pleasure at the intrusion, bearing her body down hard on his hand.

Thorin grinned, although he was surprised at the tightness he felt around his finger. He understood now why she was intimidated by the size of him. He would help her to relax before entering her, considering she had told him it has been a long time since she had been taken by a man. Thorin dropped to his knees between her legs, keeping his finger inside of her as he applied his tongue to her clitoris. Reese cried out and then moaned as Thorin flicked his tongue over the tight nub. She tasted as good as he imaged she would.

Thorin began to slide his finger in and out of her center as he sucked. Reese moaned as he added a second finger, but she didnt protest. Thorin began to thrust his fingers into her, curving his fingers upwards as he drew them out, applying pressure to the soft spot again her inner wall. Reese gasped with pleasure as he continued to fuck her with his fingers while flicking her clitoris with his tongue. His short beard prickled her delicate skin, making her skin even more sensitive to his touch. She tangled her hands in his hair, holding his head tightly as she began to feel herself losing control.

Suddenly Reeses hips bucked sharply as lights burst behind her eyes, ecstasy flooding her body. "Oh my god!" she yelled. Thorin smiled at her exclamation, raising his head from between her legs and withdrawing his fingers. She whimpered as his fingers left her body, leaving her feel empty.

Thorin positioned himself between Reeses legs, drawing her knees up around him, sliding his tip between her folds, causing her hips to buck and for her to cry out again. He dropped his head to her ear and said in a low voice, "This may hurt at first, but I'll move slowly so that you have time to adjust." She nodded, her eyes still shut with pleasure from her orgasm.

Thorin began to slowly push his member into her. She gasped with pain as her eyes flew open, searching for his. He paused before continuing to push into her. She widened her legs in order to open herself to him as much as possible. He noticed her muscles had tensed, and he stroked her skin to help her relax. Before long, he had pushed his member fully into her. His head swam with the tightness of her. They lay still for a minute, giving her time to adjust to his size. He felt Reese begin to relax, and she rocked her hips to signal to him that she was ready.

Reese moaned as Thorin slid slowly out before pushing back into her. When he'd first entered her, she'd felt pain from the stretching to accommodate his girth. However, he was taking his time, and her orgasm had relaxed her body so that she was soon experiencing waves of pleasure each time he thrust into her.

Thorin's mouth was on hers again, and she kissed him hungrily, tasting herself on his lips and beard. Her arms wrapped around his back, encouraging his thrusts by pulling him towards her. Her hand drooped to his butt which she cupped so that she could push him into her deeply. Thorin groaned and sped up his thrusts, raising his head to watch her beautiful breasts bouncing, He longed to feel them in his mouth, dropping his head to suck on one of her nipples. Reese groaned, arching her back into his mouth as he continued to thrust deeply into her.

Thorin dropped one of his hands between her legs again, massaging her clitoris with the calloused pad of his thumb. The sensation was too much for Reese, who immediately began to climax again, throwing her head back and covering her mouth with her hand to muffle a scream. Thorin felt her muscles spasming around his cock and felt himself close to orgasm. His thrusts became more erratic. Each movement made Reese cry out even more, and Thorin felt his testicles tighten. He roared and quickly withdrew from her, spilling thick hot bursts of his seed across her abdomen. He collapsed onto her body, her hands tangled in his hair and his face buried in her shoulder and neck. They lay there for several moments as their breathing slowed.

Reese groaned as she felt Thorin roll off of her. She lay on the bed, still breathing heavily, with her arm draped over her eyes. She felt Thorin leave the bed briefly before returning and rubbing his seed off her stomach with a towel. She smiled and said, "Thank you." She removed her arm from her eyes and looked at him, beckoning for him to join her on the bed again.

"I won't stay long," he said, as he lay down beside her, pulling the covers up over their bodies. Thorin did not intend to spend the night nor prologue their encounter unnecessarily.

"Okay," Reese murmured. She felt completely sated and relaxed. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this satisfied. "Mmmm," she said. "I feel so good."

Thorin smiled. "Was it everything you were hoping for?" He asked.

"Yes, it was just perfect," Reese replied. Then she raised her head to look at him anxiously. "Was it good for you too?" She asked.

Thorin laughed. "Yes, obviously it was good for me too."

"Okay, good," Reese laughed. "I wanted to make sure."

She looked at him again. "Do you think we'll see each other again?" She asked, curiously.

Thorin looked at her sharply. "I thought you weren't looking for anything beyond tonight?"

"I'm not, don't worry," she laughed. "I was just thinking that I wouldn't mind repeating it if I come this way again. I often come to this area on trading errands. Is that something you think you'd want?" She looked at him levelly. He looked skeptical.

"Thorin, I'm truly not seeking anything except sex, hopefully with someone I enjoy spending time with. My life is complicated, and I'm particularly not interested in becoming emotionally involved with someone. Ever."

Thorin eyed her. He found it hard to believe that this woman, any woman, would be so willing to continue in a sexual relationship without an emotional, and marital, obligation. "Although it is true that my life is also complicated, I find it hard to believe that you are not seeking something more than what you say. Maybe you don't realize it yet. But I need you to know that I cannot offer you anything further. I have responsibilities and obligations and will not pursue a courtship."

She smiled at his frankness. "Wonderful!" She said cheerfully. "We understand each other perfectly then." She stretched and rose from the bed, walking across the room to splash water on her face and arms. As she walked away from him, he noticed a third tattoo on her back. It was the most beautiful of the three. It was a tree branch that wound from her right buttocks across her ribs to her left shoulder. While her other tattoos were carefully drawn, this looked as though it had been painted on, appearing to be one with her body.

Reese turned towards him, smiling. "I need to get some rest. My men and I have a long day of travelling tomorrow with an early start. Please don't think me rude. Would you like to spend the night here?" She looked at him nervously, wondering if he was going to take offense to her businesslike demeanor after sharing such intimacy.

Thorin laughed, rising from the bed to pull on his clothes, "No, thank you. I should return to my quarters for the evening. I too have an early morning." He eyed her. "You may be one of the most unusual womenI've met, Reese Jacobsen." His eyes travelled down her naked body, regretting that he needed to leave.

Reese smiled, "I'm taking that as a compliment. You may be one of the sexiest men I've ever had the pleasure of bedding, Thorin Okenshield. Please consider what I've suggested. It's possible that our paths may cross again, and I'd hate to waste the opportunity for another evening like this one." She approached him, pressing her breasts against his tunic as she wove her arms around him. "In case you need a reminder of what I'm offering you." She pulled his head to hers and kissed him deeply. Thorin laughed, pulling away from her, and walked towards the door.

"Good evening, Reese."

"Until we meet again, Thorin." She waved nonchalantly. Thorin shook his head as Reese's door shut behind him. She was truly one of the most unusual women he'd met.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you're enjoying these characters as much as I am. Sadly, I'm not going to have any smut in this story for awhile now. As much as I tried to move the plot along with sex, it didn't seem to work :( I'll do my best though.<strong>


	3. The Years After

Over the following years, Reese came to Exeter frequently for trading. She sought out Thorin on each of these visits. They came to an easy understanding of what was expected of them. Sometimes a few months passed between their seeing each other. Reese sometimes bed other people, as did Thorin, since they had no obligation to each other. She felt that despite their lack of commitment that a strong bond and understanding developed between them.

In the time they spent together, they often shared stories about themselves.

Reese shared the sad story of how she had arrived in Middle Earth ten years before she and Thorin met. She explained that she, her husband, and their two small children had been in a car accident and that she was the only one who survived. After walking for several hours in search of help for her family, she'd woken up alone in Middle Earth.

Reese told him that she would carry the grief of her loss of her family until the end of time. She stated she would never love another man because she did not want to risk the pain of losing him. She said she never wanted to have children again because she thought it irresponsible to bring children into a world where she could not protect them and keep them safe. Thorin could tell she felt she had failed as a mother, even though he knew the circumstances were beyond her control.

Reese also told Thorin about Futurians. She told him how most of the Futurians were women, that for some reason women were more likely to fall through the rift between the worlds. She told him that although their children aged, the adults appeared to stop aging around 30 years. She said that none of the Futurians had yet died from old age. Although some of them had been much older than 30 when they arrived, they just stayed that age.

"The wizards think it's some sort of effect of the magic that brought us here," she stated. "In our world, we typically don't live longer than 100 years, and most of us die sooner. Only time will tell what we can expect here, though. The oldest of us is 341 years, which is ancient by our standards but not compared to Dwarves and Elves!

She told him about Adelaide, the home they'd built after separating from the Race of Men, describing the importance they placed on its defenses because they found themselves in a world where they were unsure how to cope or stay safe.

She noted she was one of the few Futurians who left the castle, as most preferred to stay within the safety of the castle walls, comfortable in the safety and in the familiar customs from their own world. She added that she enjoyed going out to learn about the world and had become, through her trade with other communities, and ambassador for the Futurian people. She thought that although they preferred to keep to themselves that it would only benefit her people to be connected to the other races and to have knowledge of the world beyond Adelaide.

Reese also told him what her world was like, often sharing fond memories of her family before they came to Middle Earth. She tried to describe cars, iPhones, the internet, and department stores. She added that there were many problems with her world, that the world was dying from the consequences of excess, and that there were more people than the world could provide food for. "Life is a lot simpler here in those ways," she stated.

Thorin told Reese about his people living in exile and the stresses of being a leader of a homeless people. He found it freeing to share his worries with her. He didn't feel like he was burdening her with his troubles because she was under no obligation to him. They found they had similar experiences in many ways, both feeling they didn't have a home in Middle Earth and depending on the generosity of others in order to provide for their people.

Thorin became friendly with Adam and Borgia as well. He found he liked the Futurians, noticing they had several values similar to dwarves. They were direct, spoke their minds, and valued independence. They liked to have a good time, and the four would often meet in the pub for rowdy discussions and drinking games.

One day, Reese arrived in Exeter to find a different blacksmith occupying Thorin's forge. She was sad that she didn't know where her friend was.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading! Would love to hear your thoughts, good or bad :)<strong>


	4. Arriving at Adelaide

"There's a passage but I don't see where it goes," called Dwalin.

"Well follow it of course," answered Bofur.

"That sounds like it might be wise," muttered Gandalf. The Dwarf company proceeded down the narrow path between high rock walls.

Kili moved in behind his brother, looking anxiously ahead, wondering what danger this new path would bring. He reflected on the past two days. Although their quest had begun uneventfully, with food and song in a hobbit hole, things were different now. They had fallen into danger when they'd stopped at the old farm house where they had been captured by trolls. With the help of the wizard, and the wit of the hobbit, they'd been able to escape, only to learn they were being hunted by Gundabad orcs. Kili had never been in battle before and had little experience in real fights, aside from skirmishes he and his brother got into on their own. Although he'd been training for combat his entire life, he felt exhausted by the tension and stress of the past days.

They came into a small valley and saw a stone castle built high on the valley wall. Several small waterfalls fell around the castle and burst from the stone beneath it, falling into a deep pool that fed into a river winding along the valley floor.

"What is this place, Gandalf?" Fili asked, eyeing the tall stone towers.

"This, Fili, is the Futurian castle, called Adelaide. Proceed slowly and try not to look threatening. They tend to be a little 'trigger happy' to use their words."

"What does that mean?" Kili asked, looking around for signs of danger.

"I mean that they prefer to shoot first and ask questions later," Gandalf grumbled. "They are not trusting of strangers and tend to prefer to keep to themselves. Although, like Dwarves, I'm sure they would say they have good reason not to trust," he added drily.

They came upon a road that climbed out of the floor of the valley to a long bridge that spanned a deep ravine, leading to a large door on the outside wall of the castle. Gandalf banged his staff on the door three times, the echo booming through the valley. The dwarves all maintained watchful eyes around them.

A small window in the door slid open, and a pleasant female voice greeted them. "How may I help you?" Kili was surprised by the pleasant greeting, considering the warning Gandalf had given them.

"I am Gandalf the Grey, accompanied by Thorin Oakenshield, his company of dwarves, and Master Bilbo Baggins of The Shire. I wish to speak with Lady Michelle. We are in need of refuge." The window slammed shut, and for a second Kili wondered if they were being turned away.

The great door began to swing open. He heard the woman's voice again, "Please do come in." Again Kili was surprised by the courtesy with which they were being treated. He felt as though he was being welcomed in for tea at his neighbour's house. He wondered if Gandalf was going a bit daft, imagining this pleasant woman was soft and sweet, like a hobbit. After they passed through the entrance, the door swung shut behind them, locking with a loud clang. The company stopped short when they saw no less than two dozen female archers with their bows trained on the dwarves.

Kili looked to Thorin for guidance as he began to raise his own bow. He saw Gandalf place a hand on Thorin's shoulder, who spoke sharply in Khuzdul to the company. They all lowered their weapons, looking apprehensive.

Kili could now see the woman who had addressed him. She was short, about thirty years of age, with a pleasant face framed by brown curly hair and dancing blue eyes. She looked to hardly be a threat of any kind, were she not flanked by a hoard of armed archers. She smiled pleasantly and said, "You'll have to forgive us. We are unaccustomed to unannounced visitors and must take precautions. Although we know Gandalf, we do not know you." She looked significantly at Thorin.

Thorin nodded and said, courteously, "We understand. If you would be so good as to inform Lady Michelle that Thorin Oakenshield wishes to speak with her regarding our request for refuge." Kili was surprised. He was used to his uncle's glowering looks and didn't expect him to be courteous when being greeted with much adversity.

The woman smiled and bowed her head. "Thank you for your understanding. She has been informed." She responded politely. "If you would be kind as to wait here, she will join us shortly."

"As though we had a choice," Dwalin muttered as he eyed the archers.

An uneasy silence descended on the group while they waited. Thorin glanced around the castle courtyard. So this was Reese's home. He hadn't seen or thought of her in over a year, having been completely consumed with the quest and meetings with his kin to muster support for retaking the mountain. He hoped that his company would receive a warm reception here. They were tired from the events of the past two days. Many of them were unaccustomed to conflict, and he hoped he could secure a safe place for them to spend the night.

They heard a voice call, "Thank you, everyone. I appreciate your caution. I'll take it from here." A tall stunningly beautiful woman with long blond hair approached the group and was smiling. She stopped to speak in a low voice to the short woman, who looked with with reluctant skepticism at the company, eyeing the weapons they carried. However, she signaled to the archers to fall back. They lowered their bows and murmured to each other uneasily as they dispersed, glancing over their shoulders at the company.

The tall woman held out her hand to Gandalf and warmly shook his. "It's nice to see you Gandalf! This visit is indeed a surprise. It's been a long time since we last saw you, and I've been hoping you would visit again soon."

"Thank you Lady Michelle. It's a pleasure to see you as well. May I present to you the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin stepped forward and bowed. "At your service, Lady Michelle."

The woman smiled warmly at Thorin. "It's a great pleasure to meet you, Thorin Oakenshield. Welcome to Adelaide. I've heard a great deal about you from Reese." The company looked confused at the mention of this name and wondered of whom the woman spoke.

Gandalf looked sharply at Thorin, who bowed his head. "I'm hoping that the information she has shared with you will aid me in my request, which is for my company to seek refuge with you. We have been travelling and recently had an altercation with a pack of orcs."

Hearing Thorin speak of orcs, the small woman looked alarmed. "Did you lead them here?" she asked him.

"We don't believe you are in danger," Thorin reassured her. "A company of _elves_ came upon the orcs, preventing them from following us into the valley." The short woman nodded.

Thorin continued to Lady Michelle, "My company is in need of food and rest. Is it possible for us to shelter here for a short while?"

"We would be happy to have you! I only hope that our accommodations can meet your needs sufficiently. " Lady Michelle smiled and turned to lead them through the square of the castle.

Kili was surprised by his uncle's behaviour towards this woman and wondered how he was known to these people. As they walked through the courtyard, he took in their surroundings. He saw stables off to one side, and a small stream ran through the courtyard, bubbling into a small fountain in the centre.

Many women were about the courtyard, and Kili noticed they were dressed unusually. They seemed to wear a lot less clothing than he was accustomed to seeing women wear, garbed in very short trousers and shirts without sleeves. Beside him, he heard Bilbo clear his throat. "Lady Michelle," Bilbo asked. Kili looked at him and saw the hobbit was blushing. "Are we intruding on your people?"

Lady Michelle looked briefly at him confused, before following his gaze to a woman nearby with bare legs and arms. "Oh! I'm terribly sorry. When inside our own walls, Futurians dress in ways that we were accustomed to before coming to Middle Earth. In our time, it's not unusual for women to dress in this way during warm weather. I hope it doesn't make you uncomfortable, Master Baggins."

Kili raised his eyebrows as he took in a tall redhead wearing a blouse that exposed her abdomen. She was eyeing the company with interest. Kili winked at her as he caught her eye. He was pleased that she smiled back at him before turning away to whisper to another woman. Turning to grin at his brother, Kili smirked at him suggestively. Fili raised his eyebrows at Kili. Kili had a feeling the company would find the Futurian accommodations perfectly suitable.

Lady Michelle address Thorin. "I'll leave you in the hands of my steward," she nodded at a man who was approaching him. "He'll show you to rooms that I hope you'll find suitable and will take you to the dining hall. Please make yourselves comfortable. You're welcome to stay as long as you wish." Lady Michelle smiled at Thorin.

"Thank you Lady Michelle," Thorin bowed. "Before you go, is Reese, or possibly Adam and Borgia, presently at the castle?"

"They're out on a trading mission, but we're expecting them back anytime," she smiled. "As soon as they get here, I'll let them know that you've arrived. I'm sure they'll be happy to see you," she added before turning to take her leave.

Kili wondered who these people were. He caught his uncle's eye and raised his eyebrows in question. Thorin shook his head, dismissing Kili's curiosity.

"Food first," Bombur grunted as the steward stepped forward. The company chorused in agreement. The steward smiled at him and said, "Come this way then." They were taken to the dining hall where they were given their fill of food and ale.


	5. Reunited

Reese rode into the fortress on her pony at twilight later that day. Adam and Borgia followed in the cart laden with supplies. She was tired and her butt hurt from a long day of travel after several days of trading and bartering. She had a sore neck from sleeping badly at the inn in Bree. She needed a drink and a bath and wondered if she would get to both before she fell into her bed exhausted. She wanted so badly to get out of her leather clothes, which she'd been wearing for days and smelled terrible. She groaned as she dismounted, leading her pony to the stable to begin grooming. Adam and Borgia did followed her with their horses.

Reese heard someone calling her name behind her and turned to see Michelle coming towards her. "Hey," Reese said. "Sorry we're later than we thought. But I was able to get some of those pastries you like that hobbits make." She smiled at Michelle, who seemed excited about something.

"Reese, Thorin Oakenshield is here. They arrived this afternoon," Michelle told her.

"What?" Reese asked, looking bewildered.

Michelle repeated herself.

"Really?" Reese asked. She hadn't seen Thorin for over a year, nor had she heard word of him despite inquiring at any community she travelled to.

Reese looked around as though expecting to find him in the courtyard. "Where is he?" she asked.

"Who?" Adam called from his horse.

"Thorin Oakenshield!" Reese called back. "Michelle says he's here."

"Huh," Adam said. "I wonder what brings him here. I didn't know he even knew where we were located."

"They're not here for you guys," Michelle said. "They're on some sort of a quest and are seeking refuge. They were attacked by orcs and need food and rest. They're with Gandalf. There are fifteen of them, including Gandalf and a hobbit."

"Well, this is the last thing I expected today!" Reese exclaimed in excitement.

Reese quickly began to curry and comb her mare. She wanted to rush, but her pony deserved special attention after the long day they'd had. Adam and Borgia were also working quickly. Michelle helped them, knowing they were all eager.

Michelle turned to Reese, giving her friend a secret smile. "He is gorgeous, Reese," she breathed. "I could hardly keep my hands still when I met him. Those intense eyes! He exudes sexiness." The two women giggled together. "He has some gorgeous companions too," Michelle added. "There are two younger ones who are as hot as he is. Also, there's one who wears a hat who has the kindest eyes I've ever seen."

"Well maybe you'll get lucky," Reese whispered, winking.

Michelle laughed, vigorously brushing the horse's main.

"Where are they?" Reese asked as they finished their work.

"In the dining hall," Michelle laughed. "They've been there for hours. They're having a little party. I think I like dwarves! They seem like lots of fun."

Reese set off towards the dining hall with Adam and Borgia following closely behind. They could hear the thunderous male voices in rowdy banter as they approached the dining hall. Reese laughed taking in the scene before her as she entered the room. Twelve dwarves and a hobbit sat at one of the long tables drinking ale and laughing.

They were playing a game where they tossed food towards a dwarf with a large belly and a long braided red beard, and he was catching the food in his mouth. Every time he made a catch, the group cheered raucously.

Thorin and Gandalf were sitting at the next table, deep in conversation. Gandalf looked as though he was trying to convince Thorin of something, who looked displeased. Reese laughed, remembering the sullen and stubborn expressions Thorin wore when he was irritated.

She started to stride towards him and exclaimed, "What are you doing here?" Thorin looked up from his conversation with Gandalf and his face split into a grin. He rose to meet her and shook her hand warmly. She was so happy to see him she wanted to hug him, but they'd always kept their physical treatment of each other in public conservative, adopting the Futurian style of greeting with a handshake.

Thorin reached to shake Adam and Borgia's hands as well. "Good to see you, man!" Adam barked, pounding on Thorin's back. "I hear you ran into an orc pack!"

"I heard the elves saved you." Borgia added, grinning as Thorin glowered at the mention of elves. Reese, Borgia, and Adam drew around Thorin, peppering him with questions about how he'd arrived at the Futurian castle.

* * *

><p>Kili was laughing with his brother at Bombur, who had just fallen out of his chair missing a sausage they'd tried to throw into his mouth. They were well fed, warm, and safe, and had drunk a significant amount of ale. Although Kili had never met the Futurians before, he thought he liked this race of people. Once you got passed their welcome by archer, they seemed like they were friendly and generous. He certainly didn't mind that there seemed to be more women than men and that the women didn't seem to feel the need to wear very much clothing.<p>

Kili and his brother had already spent a great deal of time admiring the women. "Nothing wrong with a little bit of fun while we're here," Kili had laughed as Dwalin glowered at them from across the table, overhearing their conversation.

"Don't you two get us into trouble." Dwalin growled. "I don't fancy having to protect you again from an irate husband swinging a mace at you."

Kili and Fili laughed at the memory. "Ahh, but Dwalin, did you ever see such a lass? Those eyes, those lips..." Kili trailed off, remembering her lips, and what they were doing, fondly.

"You two think of little else than your dicks, regardless of a lass's face." Dwalin spat, making Kili and Fili roar with laughter. Kili winked at the girl who had been clearing their table of plates. He sniffed his shirt, thinking needed a bath If he was going to be pursuing maids.

Kili glanced at his uncle, wanting to ask about a bath, and froze, his breath catching. He saw a short Futurian woman striding across the hall. She had unusually short dark tousled hair that set off high cheek bones and wide dark eyes. Her beautiful mouth was stretched into an excited smile. She wore a long brown leather coat, brown tunic, leather bodice, and leather trousers. Kili couldn't help noticing how the leather clung seductively to her breasts and hips. She wore thigh high leather boots and had a knife holster wrapped around each thigh. She had another knife tucked into her belt, and two additional knife handles peaked out of the inside of each of her boots. Time slowed as Kili watched her walk towards their group, stopping in front of their uncle.

Kili blinked as he watched his uncle stand smiling to greet the woman, shaking her hand and grinning warmly at her and the two men Kili now noticed followed behind her. The three newcomers formed a group around Thorin where they stood, talking and laughing.

Kili heard someone calling his name, and his eyes focused on his brother, who was looking worried at Kili's blank stare. Kili blinked in confusion. Fili looked to where Kili had been gazing and turned back to his brother grinning. He cursed and laughed, shaking his head. "It's been a long time since I've seen you silenced by the appearance of a woman."

Kili was startled by Dwalin's warning growl across the table. "I'm warning you two," he said. "Any irate husbands and I'm going to trip you so that they can catch you."

They returned to the game with Bombur as Kili watched Thorin talk to this woman. He wondered if these were the people his uncle had asked about when they'd arrived. He saw his uncle talk animatedly to the newcomers. It was the most relaxed he'd seen his uncle since the beginning of the quest.

The tabled quietened as they saw Thorin approaching them, saying to the newcomers, "Allow me to introduce you to my company."

Addressing the dwarves, Thorin said, "I'd like to present you with my friends, Reese Jacobsen, Adam Dow, and Borgia Cesare." Kili's eyebrows raised as his brother grinned at him, hearing the word "friends." He didn't think he'd ever heard Thorin refer to anyone as a friend.

As Thorin walked the woman around the table introducing each dwarf, Kili became painfully aware of the layers of dirt on his hands and the smell of troll on his clothes. He wished they'd gone to their rooms to bathe rather than coming to the dining hall first.

His uncle introduced Fili, explaining that Fili was his nephew and heir. "Oh," the woman exclaimed. "I've heard a great deal about you, Fili." Kili's heart lept as she smiled at Fili warmly. She seemed very interested in him, making Kili want to kick his brother in the shin so that he'd appear less grand and princely. Anything to make this woman find Fili unappealing.

"And this," Thorin continued, "is my younger nephew, Kili."

Kili bowed to the woman, murmuring, "At your service." He caught her eyes as he straightened up, and stared at her wordlessly. For the briefest moment, the woman looked stricken, as though she was displeased, and her arm by her side twitched as though she wanted to reach for a knife. Kili thought she must have caught the scent of troll from him, cursing again for not bathing sooner. Clearing his throat, he choked out one word, "Troll." He seemed unable to form any other words, and he began to panic as he realized the first conversation with he'd have with this woman would consist of only the word troll. The woman looked at him confused, waiting for him to say more.

Kili stuttered. He heard a voice in his head urging him to say something, anything, to just start saying words. He started to think that anything he said couldn't be worse than this long silence following the word troll. His voice squeaked as he said, "You smell troll."

Thorin looked at Kili as though he had two heads. Kili looked pleadingly back at Thorin. The woman laughed suddenly, saying, "I heard that you ran into a group of trolls. Don't worry. We're in the same state. I smell like I've been sitting on a horse for three days and staying at a dirty inn in Bree, which is exactly what I've been doing in fact. Before I learned you were all here, all I could think of was getting to my room and having a long bath."

She started to laugh, but her laugh died as Kili only stared at her mutely with a pained expression on his face, now unable to imagine anything except this exquisite creature taking a bath. Kili saw Fili raise his eyebrows and look over at Dwalin. Kili looked at his uncle in desperation, who was now glowering at him as though Kili was the stupidest creature he'd ever set eyes on.

Thorin guided Reese away,introducing her to the rest of the company, Kili sat down on the bench, breathing deeply as Fili stared at him, shaking his head. "Mahal, brother."

Dwalin smirked at him. "That was embarrassing. What's wrong? Cat got your dick?" The table around them erupted in laughter.

"Funny," Kili grumbled. "Very funny."

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><p><strong>Dwalin kills me, but I can't seem to transfer that humour to my story. I've been trying to tweak his last line for days, but I can't make anything as funny as it is in my head. Oh well. Onward ho.<strong>


	6. Bathroom Disclosures

**A/N**: **Thank you again to my new followers. It's so delightful to see you pop up on the screen like that. **

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><p>Reese was silent as Thorin led them back to the table where Gandalf sat. She was preoccupied, not hearing the conversation around her as Gandalf asked how Thorin had come to be friendly with the three Futurians and Thorin's explanation that they had frequently traded together in Exetor and stayed at the same inn.<p>

Reese felt as though she was fighting an internal struggle. When she met the youngest dwarf, she had felt as though she'd been hit by lightning. He was one of the most attractive men she'd ever met with dark eyes that she felt she could lose herself in. His gaze on her face had felt like tender beautiful butterfly kisses. She'd wanted to stand and look at his handsome face for hours and had had to resist the urge to reach out to touch him. She believed her arm even twitched by her side.

In order to seem calm at the time, she had quickly forced herself to reengage in the conversation around her, attempting to make jokes, which the young prince had not laughed at. He'd looked oddly at her, saying, "You smell troll." She'd at first worried that he could smell her own travel stench from where he stood and was mortified before realizing he must have been referring to the company's recent run in with trolls. She'd imagined he was tired and drunk and having a hard time being forced into a conversation with a stranger. She had tried to smooth over the moment by making a joke about their both smelling, which she now regretted because it had drawn attention to how disgusting she felt.

Reese groaned inwardly. She couldn't let this happen to her. She had promised herself she would never love again, never put herself in danger like that again. Yet in a matter of seconds, it appeared that had all changed.

"Reese!" she heard Adam holler. "Earth to Reese!"

Reese looked up suddenly, broken from her thoughts. "What?" She dazedly glanced around the table. All of the men were looking at her expectantly, and she thought someone must have asked her a question. "Ugh, sorry everyone. I must be more tired than I realized." She smiled, feeling Thorin's eyes on her face.

"Yes, we are all really quite exhausted," Gandalf agreed. "I wonder if it is time that we all found our beds." He nodded down the table as he spoke. Reese turned to see many of the dwarves had started to doze, cheek in hand. Reese avoided looking at the youngest dwarf at the end.

Instead, she nodded, saying, "How about I show you to your quarters?" Rising from the table, the company roused each other to follow her. As she stood, Thorin caught her eye and gave her a questioning look. She shook her head at him. He glanced down the table to Kili, who seemed to still be in a daze. Suddenly, a look of comprehension appeared on his face. He raised his eyebrows, looking back to Reese and jerking his head in Kili's direction questioningly. Reese scowled at him and turned away abruptly, but not before she caught the amused look on Thorin's face.

Reese led them from the dining hall, speaking briefly with the steward, who told her rooms in the west wing had been readied for the dwarves. "Unfortunately, it's too late to order baths for your rooms, but would any of you like to be shown to the bathhouse?"

Many of the dwarves only mumbled sleepily, but Fili spoke up, saying he wouldn't mind washing up before bed.

Reese showed them to their rooms first. Thorin, Bofur, Dwalin, Balin, Fili, Kili, and Bilbo followed her to the bath house. She led them down a hallway that sloped gently, stopping at a wooden door. "Will you be able to find your way back?" she asked, looking up at Thorin. "Yes, we dwarves rarely get lost." He winked at her while he said that, and she glared at him crossly. She knew he was teasing her for her reaction to Kili.

They passed through a door into a warm room. Although the rest of the castle was made of stone, this room was built from wood. "This is a geothermal pool that has been routed through this fountain to create a bath," Reese explained as the dwarves nodded. The room had a large deep stone pool in it, and copious amounts of steam were rising from the water. The steam mixed with the wood to create a soothing, earthy scent. There were windows around the walls of the room, and although it was dark, in the day they would award a beautiful view of the valley. A fountain was placed at one side of the pool from which bubbled steaming hot water. At the edges of the pool, small channels were carved in the stone floor that ran to the walls, allowing excess water to escape over the edge, down into the valley. Several torches were placed around the room, bathing the bath in a warm light.

A wooden screen was folded against the wall. Reese explained the screen could be used to divide the room if the users required privacy, such as when men and women were using the room at the same time. "I hope you find everything you need here," she smiled. "Please help yourselves to towels, robes, and soap." She gestured towards the wall where these items were stacked in abundance. "Also, if you would like your clothing laundered, you can leave it in your rooms in the morning. I believe the steward has provided clothing for your stay here. Breakfast will be available whenever you wake. Please make yourselves at home ... We are so happy to have you." She smiled, avoiding looking at the dark eyed dwarf and pretending not to see Thorin's amused expression. "Good evening."

The dwarves wished her goodnight as well, bowing slightly as she left the room.

"What in the name of Mahal is wrong with you?" Fili asked Kili as the door closed behind Reese. The dwarves began to disrobe immediately, while Bilbo wandered across the room to pull the screen for privacy while he removed his clothing.

"Are you sick?" Fili asked Kili, suddenly worried.

"He's not sick," Thorin answered simply. "He's in love." Fili looked at their uncle sharply as Kili avoided looking at his brother by pulling his tunic over his head.

"In love?" asked Fili, laughing.

"From the moment he laid eyes on Lady Reese, I'll wager," said Bofur. Thorin nodded.

Kili swore before jumping into the pool, ignoring their mocking laughter behind him.

"With Lady Reese," Bilbo asked, joining them in the pool. "Have you met her before?"

Kili shook his head, drawing his hand over his eyes as though in pain.

"We are talking about a human woman Kili has known for thirty minutes and has barely even spoken to?" Fili asked incredulously. "Let me correct that. He's spoken briefly to her, and said the stupidest things a dwarf has ever said to another person." Dwalin laughed behind him.

"It can happen quickly for dwarves," said Balin as the older dwarves nodded in agreement. "One day we meet the one Mahal meant for us, and things are never the same."

Kili groaned into his hands. Fili glanced at him before saying, "Well, I guess I should congratulate you brother, although I don't know what you're going to do about it. It's inconvenient timing, and she's of a completely different race."

The group nodded, grumbling sympathetically.

"Thorin, how do you know the Futurians?" Fili asked suddenly.

Kili raised his head. He'd forgotten that he'd wanted to ask his uncle how he was so familiar with Reese and her companions.

Thorin raised his eyebrows, glancing at Kili. "Well, I'm not familiar with all of the Futurians. I met Reese, Adam, and Borgia six years ago when I was working at the forge in Exetor. We did some trading together, and they stayed at the inn I was staying at, so we'd often dine together. I guess we became good friends over those years."

"Six years ago? I can't believe you've never told them about us." Fili exclaimed. " I didn't realize you had friends from the race of men!"

Thorin grimaced. "I guess there wasn't really anything to tell. We enjoyed each other's company, and we seemed to have many similarities. I think you'll find the same during our stay here. If the rest of the Futurians are anything like those three, then they are similar to dwarves in many ways. Don't be fooled by their race. They're very different from men native to Middle Earth."

"I can see that," said Bilbo from his corner, surprising them all with his input. "Just look at how the women dress!" The dwarves all murmured in agreement.

"Or don't dress," Bofur added with a bark of laughter.

"That's not what I meant. I didn't mean to talk about Thorin's friend like that." sputtered Bilbo anxiously.

Kili raised his head suddenly, a look of understanding dawning on his face. "Friends. Uncle, you don't have any female friends." Thorin looked at Kili uneasily, realizing where Kili was going. "You've bedded her!" Kili exclaimed.

The dwarves and hobbit all looked at Thorin, who looked rather uncomfortable. "Aye, it's true." He stated, "But Kili, it's been over a year since we last lay together."

"Since you last lay together? How many times have you been with her?" Kili asked, horror written on his face. "Is this the nature of your relationship with her? Are you courting her?"

Thorin looked at Kili. "It's not what you think, Kili. We had an arrangement, that's all. Just two souls finding comfort for an evening." Kili stared at his uncle open mouthed.

The dwarves in the group snickered. "What's the problem, Kili?" his brother asked. "It's not as though we haven't shared women with uncle before."

Bilbo gasped. "Share women? You share women?"

"Aye, dwarves do it all the time," said Bofur cheerily, winking at Bilbo. "We don't have enough to go around, so sometimes we have to be a good sport and share." Bilbo looked dumbstruck at the idea.

"That's not the point," Kili moaned into his hands. "I'm not going to pursue a woman tied to my uncle."

"Kili, she'll tell you herself she's not tied to me, or to any man for that matter." Thorin laughed. "She made sure I understood that we were under no obligation to each other. She was married before, and she made it clear she had no desire for any kind of relationship."

Dwalin snorted. "This just keeps getting better. Leave it to Kili to fall in love with an unavailable woman of an obscure race after thirty minutes who he meets in the middle of a quest to travel across the land to reclaim our mountain from a fire breathing dragon who could kill us all. You couldn't make this up!" The other dwarves guffawed, although Fili glanced sympathetically at Kili, who looked well aware of the horror of the situation he found himself in.

Kili swore again, leaning his head on the edge of the pool and glaring at the ceiling.

"What happened to her husband?" Fili asked.

Thorin paused. "He died a long time ago. I won't give you the whole story. It's hers to tell. But she was heartbroken at his death and says she swore never to fall in love again."

The dwarves and hobbit all murmured sadly. Kili looked devastated. Thorin knew he was thinking that he had no chance of Reese's loving him, but Thorin suspected Kili wasn't the only one who had been struck unexpectedly by love this evening. However, he wasn't sure if he should give Kili hope. Reese was complicated, and he didn't want to see his nephew hurt unnecessarily by having his hopes raised only to be dashed by that strong headed woman. He did need to clarify one thing, though.

"Kili, I have no claim to her. We haven't seen each other in over a year, and I have no intention of rekindling that relationship."

Kili looked at his uncle for a long moment before nodding tersely.

Fili and Kili stayed in the pool long after the other dwarves and Bilbo left to find their rooms. They hoped their uncle would find his way. He had a bad habit of getting lost easily, despite what he'd told Reese. His door had been clearly marked, which hopefully he would see. They'd normally follow him, but Kili wanted time alone in the comfort of his older brother. Fili had always taken care of Kili, protecting him.

"Kee," Fili asked, looking concerned. "Are you alright?"

Kili looked at him, shrugging.

"Is what Thorin said true, that you're in love with this woman?" Fili asked.

Kili shook his head. "I can't explain it, brother. The minute I saw her, I felt like everything in my life was different." Fili stared at him. "I couldn't think of anything except how to get close to her, to impress her, to make her want me. I had to fight an overwhelming urge to beat you to a pulp just for talking to her."

Fili laughed. "But you don't even know her!" he exclaimed.

Kili shook his head. "And yet I feel like I've known her my whole life, have been searching for her."

Fili stood looking at him silently, arms crossed. Then he grinned. "Is that why you were behaving so oddly when you were talking to her?"

Kili nodded his head, groaning. "I came off as a complete idiot!"

Fili nodded, laughing. "It wasn't your best. I thought the way you kept saying troll that you were doing an imitation of one, but appeared way stupider than a troll could ever be."

Kili swatted at his brother who dodge him laughing.

Kili groaned, resting his head in his hands again. Fili stood looking at him sympathetically. "So, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," said Kili. "I feel like I've been pummeled by a war hammer. This is excruciating. You heard what uncle said about her wanting to be alone, and you said yourself that the timing is terrible, and that she's from a different race. How can things change so quickly in an instant? One moment you and I are talking about finding a maid to bed, and the next moment I feel as though ….." He trailed off.

Kili gazed out the window at the night sky. "Do you think she could love me?"

"I don't know how any woman except our mother could love you, Kili," Fili joked, gaining an annoyed growl from his brother. "But she might be convinced. Maybe you just need to relax. If what uncle says is true about her past, then don't rush her. Let her see how who you are. I doubt she doesn't find you attractive. You've never had trouble there in the past."

Kili grunted as he rose from the water, pulling on a robe and scooping up his clothes, which really smelled terrible. "Let's go," he said. "I need to walk to clear my head."

Fili nodded following him.


	7. Dazed and Confused

**A/N: Well here we go with another. I own nothing except the Futurians. **

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><p>Reese made her way to her room and collapsed on her bed, moaning. She lay on her back not moving staring at the ceiling intently.<p>

"Shit." she muttered.

She felt like she was in a daze.

She'd thought she was safe from this ever happening to her again, but the moment she looked into Kili's eyes, she knew she was anything but safe.

Reese tried to ignore the pounding in her chest as she thought about Kili. For a second, when she'd met him, she'd felt as though the world around her had stopped. She could tell he'd picked up on her awkwardness though, even if the others hadn't. He'd seemed uncomfortable, and she felt mortified wondering what he must think of her.

He had to be the most beautiful man she'd ever met. She felt like she was going to drown in his eyes. They were dark brown, almost black, and were like deep pools that she could sink into, losing herself forever. She had had the overwhelming urge to bring her hands to his tousled black locks, pulling him to her and kissing him. And his voice as he'd greeted her! His voice had been like velvet, washing over her hypnotically. She'd wish he'd said more just so that she could listen to the beautiful deep melody of his voice.

She had felt this way once before, when she'd met Scott. Her heart lurched thinking of her dead husband. She'd fallen for him hard, the minute they'd met. She'd thought that love at first sight was something people used to explain away lust, but she'd known she was going to marry Scott the minute she'd met him. She'd actually been dating someone else at the time, but by end of that day she'd phoned her boyfriend and told him things were over. She'd never done something so impulsive in her life. She and Scott had married a month later, and she'd never looked back.

One thing Reese knew for certain, she was not going to be marrying Kili the dwarf, even if he wanted to marry her, which she couldn't imagine his wanting. She felt secure knowing that she was not in danger of his pursuing her.

She'd always been clear that she had no interest in falling in love, marrying, having children again. It was too risky. She'd barely survived the loss of her family sixteen years ago. When she'd come to Middle Earth, all she'd wanted was to end her own life. She'd seen no point in continuing. She'd lost everything and found herself stuck in a world completely foreign to her.

Over time she'd built herself a new life in Middle Earth, eventually finding joy in the people around her, finding purpose in helping her people get by in this strange world. She hadn't been alone either. Every Futurian in Middle Earth had suffered a horrible loss. None of them had asked to come here, and they'd all lost everything when they'd been transported. Some had their families with them but lost everything else. Others had been separated from their families and were desperate to get back, falling into deep depressions when they found they weren't able to go back to their children, spouses, and parents who didn't understand where their loved one had gone. One thing Reese hadn't wanted was to go back. She didn't have a life to go back to. Maybe this made it easier for her to adjust here, more willing to venture out into the world to learn about her new home.

She'd learned to get over love then, to not allow herself to feel that way. She could do it again now. She'd nip this in the bud before it got out of control. The dwarves were only staying for a short time, probably just a few days, and during that time she could easily keep her feelings under control. "No problem," she said to the empty room.

Reese rolled to her side and chewed her lip thoughtfully. One thing she had to decide was how she was going to act towards Thorin during this visit. She knew Thorin was aware of her attraction to Kili, teasing her with their silent conversation in the dining hall. She didn't mind that he knew. She was completely comfortable with the status of their relationship. They had no claim to each other. However, she found it embarrassing that it was a family member of his that she was so drawn to.

She wasn't sure if she and Thorin would continue their relationship with each other. They hadn't seen each other in over a year, and Reese felt there was something different about him. She wasn't sure he'd be interested. Even though he'd greeted her with genuine warmth, he'd seemed preoccupied. There was something else, too. He'd seemed older, stronger, and more … kingly. This quest had already begun to change him, and she realized he and she were moving in different directions. They no longer needed each other.

Reese wasn't sure if she'd wanted to have the same relationship with him here as it was. Aside from what Michelle, Borgia, and Adam knew of her life outside of the castle walls, she'd been careful to keep that life separate from her Futurian life. As she'd told Thorin, she was just looking for sex, a physical release, which was why she didn't want to find someone from her own people. She didn't want to deal with the gossip, the expectations. She didn't want those complications to affect her and Thorin's relationship.

She wasn't about to lose control now, either by people's knowing about Thorin or by letting her little crush on Kili cause problems for her. She just needed to get through the next while, and then things would return to normal. How hard could that be?

Taking a steadying breath, Reese willed herself to calm. Sitting up from her bed, her neck twinged and she caught a whiff of her scent. She still smelled horrible. She needed a bath. She grimaced realizing there was no way she was going down to the baths while the dwarves were there, especially Kili. The last thing she needed was to be naked in a hot pool with him. A jolt ran through her body as she imagined Kili, naked in the bath, his broad shoulders dotted with drops of water. Her mouth watered as she imagined chasing those drops with her tongue.

"Fuck," she groaned. No, she as going to have to wait. Her room was on the dwarves' return from the baths, so she'd listen for them. It was unlikely she'd sleep, her mind busy despite her exhaustion. She settled into her armchair, and waited until she heard the dwarves pass her door.


	8. Nighttime Craving

**Thank you everyone for your follows, favourites, and reviews. I own nothing but the Futurians. **

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><p>Reese stood in the kitchens in her nightgown and robe warming up milk on the stove. After her bath, she'd felt even more awake and had made her way to the kitchens. She stood stirring the milk absentmindedly rubbing her sore neck when she heard a noise in the dining hall. Thinking it was likely Michelle, who Reese usually ran into at this time of night, she grinned and silently made her way to the side of the kitchen door. The door slowly opened, and Reese jumped out from her hiding spot yelling, "Danger!"<p>

Her grin turned to a grimace of terror as she was grabbed by a two pairs of strong arms, tripped backwards, and landed on her back with a grunt, a strong hand covering her mouth. She panicked as she realized she was outnumbered by two males who were much stronger than she was. She began to struggle, kicking, punching, and clawing. She heard one of her assailants groan as her kick connected with something soft. Now only one person was holding her. She managed to raise one of her arms up, bringing it down hard over the man's arms, forcing him to break his grip over her mouth. She was about to scream when she saw that the person holding her was Kili, who looked as shocked as she was at their predicament.

Reese stared up at Kili, both breathing heavily from the struggle, and she suddenly realized the state of undress she was in. Her robe had come undone and the neckline of her nightgown was twisted dangerously low, the thin material pulled tightly against her body, with her hem bunched around her hips. Looking at Kili, she realized he wasn't any better. He was wearing one of the robes from the bath house, which had fallen open to his waist in the struggle, revealing that he was naked underneath. Reese glimpsed a well-muscled chest before pulling her gaze away and moving to right her clothing, when she noticed Fili by her feet doubled over in pain.

"Oh my god! Are you okay?"

Fili nodded mutely, waving his hand away as though to say, "I need a moment."

"Where did I …" Reese trailed off, realizing she'd kicked him in the crotch. "Shit, I'm so sorry!"

Fili grunted and shook his head, turning away and sitting on the floor with his back to her, taking several deep breaths.

"What in Mahal's name were you doing?" Kili demanded, pulling his robe shut and leaning back against the wall, looking at her as though she was crazy. "Is this how Futurians greet each other at night?"

Finishing straightening her clothing, Reese scrambled to her feet. "I thought you were Michelle! We often run into each other in the kitchen when we have trouble sleeping. I was just trying to play a prank on her." Reese grimaced apologetically, glancing at Fili who had his head between his knees.

Kili stared at her. "I can understand why someone would have trouble sleeping with a terror like you roaming the halls."

Reese furrowed her brow, trying to think of something to say to apologize to their guests, when she saw Kili's lips twitch.

Reese realized he thought this situation was funny. Despite her mortification, she felt herself smile and begin to laugh. Kili joined in, his warm laughter washing over her, spurring her own on. Before long, Kili and Reese were doubled over in the kitchen, laughing at the absurd circumstance they found themselves in.

"I'm glad you can laugh at a time like this," Fili managed to gasp. "Meanwhile, I am wondering if I will be able to fulfill my duty to continue the line of Durin." This was too much for Kili and Reese, who howled, tears of laughter running down Reese's face while Kili slapped his knee.

It was several minutes before they could contain themselves. Reese leaned against a counter, trying to hush Kili. "Shhh, we're going to wake the entire castle."

"You might have thought of that before you screamed at us as we entered the kitchen," Fili said, having regained his ability to speak. His comment made Reese and Kili burst out again as Kili pounded his brother on his back enthusiastically.

"Oh god," Reese gasped, gripping the counter top, forcing herself to take deep breaths in order to calm down. Finally standing up straight, she said, "Okay, that's enough," as though issuing the order might help her become calm.

She glanced at Kili, whose brown eyes twinkled at her. "I can't even look at you," she said turning away. "You're making it worse!"

Reese moved back to the stove. Kili bent to help his brother up. "What are you making?" Kili asked, bringing chairs from the dining hall into the kitchen for him and Fili to sit at the counter she was working at. Reese noticed Kili was a lot more talkative than when she'd first met him. She cringed as she felt herself responding to the timber of his voice.

"Just some warm milk to help me sleep, " she answered. Looking up at them. "You two must be hungry. Is that why you're here?"

Fili perched nimbly on the edge of his seat, and Reese had to bite her lip to keep from bursting into laughter again. She did feel bad for the pain she had caused him, but the situation was so ridiculous that she couldn't help wanting to laugh.

"Aye, we weren't ready for sleep and came down to see what we could find," Kili answered.

"I can help you with that." Reese smiled. "Is there anything in particular you wanted?"

Kili looked at her, his gaze suddenly hungry. Reese felt herself flush before Fili responded. "Thank-you. Whatever you have on hand would be fine."

Reese cleared her throat, trying to shake off her reaction to Kili's look. "Hmmmm, I think I know just the thing. It's what I always have if I'm hungry at night. I'll make you some of this, too," she said, pointing to the milk she'd been warming for herself.

Reese busied herself around the kitchen, knotting her robe tightly because it kept falling open. She pulled pots and containers out of cupboards and pulled cheese and milk out of the ice box. She was grateful to have a distraction from Kili. She found his presence in the kitchen even more intoxicating than when they had met in the dining hall. She wondered how long she'd have to tolerate her desire for him before she could return to her normal life.

Now that the confusion of meeting Reese in the kitchen had passed, Kili felt discomfort descend on him. Although their laughter had served to quell his nerves substantially, now that they were calmer the memory of the feel of her skin under his hands, the smell of her hair as he and Fili had wrestled her to the ground, and the image of her nearly sheer nightgown twisted tightly around her body lingered in his memory. He felt a slow ached grow inside of him, and he forced himself to swallow. It wasn't like him to feel nervous around a lass. It was a joke among the company that he and Fili made a sport out of bedding. It was the rare female that was able to resist their charms.

Once she had three pots bubbling on the stove, Reese perched on the counter and visited with the dwarves. "So how long do you think you'll be able to stay with us?" Reese phrased the question as an invitation, trying not to reveal her desire for their stay to be over quickly.

Kili shrugged and looked at his brother.

"It depends on Uncle Thorin," Fili stated. "I believe Gandalf was trying to convince him to travel to Rivendell to meet with Lord Elrond about our quest."

Kili snorted and rolled his eyes. "I wish Gandalf luck." He glanced at Reese. "Uncle doesn't like elves," he explained.

Reese nodded smiling, remembering Thorin's past grumblings. "Well, Rivendell is only a day's ride from here, so he'd be able to do that quickly if he wants."

"Do you often travel to see the elves?" Fili asked.

Reese nodded. "One of my responsibilities to the community is to travel out into Middle Earth to trade and build relations with the other races. The Futurians have always had a good relationship with the elves. My understanding is that when we first came to Middle Earth they were very helpful with our establishing our community, especially after we broke with the race of men."

Fili nodded slowly. "I know very little about Futurians, actually. You don't get along with other men?"

"Umm, well, it's not that we don't get along," Reese shrugged. "It's just that we don't live together well. When Futurians originally came here, the wizards who found them suggested we join those communities. However, it was a disaster ... for us. Our customs and ways of doing things, everything, are so different where we come from. We were grateful to have a safe place to stay, but after thirty years there were enough of us that we were able to build our own community. We moved to this valley and with the help of elves began constructing this castle. That was about 270 years ago."

Fili nodded, glancing at his brother, who was now very quiet. "What kinds of customs do you have that made you so different from men?"

Reese smiled. "Where do I even begin? Well, in addition to our health practices and cleanliness practices, the biggest problem was for the women. From the time we come from in the future, women are treated a lot more equally than females of most races are here. The female Futurians found it very difficult to cope with the oppressive expectations here, and there wasn't anything they could do about it. They were required to wear long dresses and were expected to be nothing more than servants of men and bearers of children. We weren't able to have professions or work. Where we come from, women often have so many more options. We are frequently well educated, can wear just about anything we want, and we aren't required to marry and have children in order to survive in the world." She paused to think. "I can't imagine what it was like for the first Futurian women to come here to have to deal with that for thirty years. I don't think I could have done it, to live like a caged animal."

Kili watched her for a moment before dropping his eyes, pretending to scratch his head as he caught Fili's eye. Reese glanced at them. "You must be getting hungry!" She rose and finished the dish she'd been cooking. She put two heaping plates before the dwarves. "This," she explained, "is a popular dish in the part of the world I'm from, but I haven't yet run into anything like it here. It's made with something called 'pasta,' which is a mixture of egg and flour. You boil it and add cheese and milk and spices."

The dwarves smelled the aroma rising from their plates and dug into their food, groaning appreciatively at their first taste. Reese, who'd been looking nervous, smiled at their appreciation.

Kili looked at her. "This is delicious, thank you." She smiled at him, her stomach lurching as his intense brown eyes pierced hers. She suddenly wondered if it had been wise for her to cook for this dwarf. It felt very domestic and intimate, which was not what she intended for their visit.

Fikli also paused. "You were saying that women dress differently here than where you're from. We couldn't help but notice how the women here are dressed. It's come up quite often in our conversation, actually."

Reese laughed suddenly. "I can imagine that would be a shock!" She smiled. "We definitely don't wear as much clothing as any other female I've met in Middle Earth, although I've yet to meet a female dwarf." They laughed with her as she continued. "Just as women are treated more equally in the future, we're not required to cover our bodies or to wear dresses just because we are women. Women have more freedom to express themselves, to be proud of their bodies, because we are the owners of our bodies. Our husbands or fathers or brothers aren't in charge of us. We have the right to do what we wish. When that barrier is removed, we seem to enjoy the comfort of less oppressive clothing. It symbolizes our freedom. There are parts of the world where I'm from where women are required to cover themselves entirely, even their faces, and the punishment for not doing so can be quite severe. It seems like how we dress here reflects our pride in our freedom. And I guess we also enjoy showing off a bit …" she added, trailing off as she blushed.

"Aye," said Fili. "Well, if that's the goal, it was not unappreciated by our company, although the Hobbit nearly fainted." They all laughed at this.

"The Hobbits do seem to have the hardest time with our attire," she smiled. "When I go to other communities, even though I don't wear dresses, I do make an effort to cover myself more than I do when I'm with other folk."

Kili nodded, remembering what she was wearing when he first saw her. He looked at her. "I saw you carrying several weapons when we first met. Are you a skilled fighter?"

She stopped to think. "Umm, I wouldn't describe myself that way. When I came here, I decided that if I wanted to go out into the world that I would need to be able to protect myself. Some of the other Futurians are well trained in combat, and they offered to help me learn a skill that I could use to protect myself while travelling. Although I'm small, I'm quick and have good aim, so they suggested I learn to fight with knives. I've done alright learning, although I try to practice whenever I'm home."

She looked at them. "I understand Dwarves tend to be very skilled fighters and spend a great deal of time practising their skills."

Fili and Kili both nodded. "Not all of us, but we both have. I've trained with swords, and Kili is an archer," Fili explained.

"An archer?" Reese asked, looking at Kili. "Is that why you …" she trailed off, gesturing to his face.

Kili nodded, rubbing his chin. "I don't wear a beard because it interferes with my shot. People often think it's because I'm not yet able to grown one, but I assure you I am able to grow as much hair as I wish." He winked at her.

Reese looked away, blushing slightly at the images that entered her head of the hair she'd seen on his chest when his robe had fallen open.

"Would you be interested in my teaching you some skill with a bow?" Kili offered. "The company will probably spend time training during our stay."

They looked at her eagerly, and she couldn't resist accepting. "I'd like that," she said as Fili nodded enthusiastically.

Once they were done eating, stretching back in their chairs and groaning appreciatively, Reese moved to take their dishes, but Kili stopped her. "Please, allow us." She shrugged as Kili and Fili rose to their feet, quickly cleaning up the pots, plates, and forks.

She marvelled at the efficiency of the dwarves. "See, now you two would make some Futurian women very happy as husbands. A woman can never say no to a man who cleans up after dinner," she joked. She noticed Kili stiffened, and she blushed uncomfortably, realizing what she'd said.

"No offense," she rushed to add. "I would never suggest that Durin lineage be diluted in such a way."

"Oh, don't worry milady!" Fili joked, who didn't seem put off by her comment. She missed his smirk at Kili as he added. "I'm sure any dwarf would be honoured to have such a woman as his wife as well."

The dwarves settled into their chairs, reaching to light their pipes. "Do you mind?" Fili asked her, nodding towards his. Reese shook her head, enjoying the aroma of the burning herbs.

She rose to pour them all a steaming cup of scalded milk, which she had flavoured gently. She decided she needed something a little stronger in order to relax considering the traps she kept stumbling over in her conversation with the dwarves. Going to a cupboard, she pulled a blue bottle out, adding a generous amount to her own mug. Looking at the dwarves, she raised it in question. "Hobbit mulberry liqueur?" she asked. They both nodded in agreement, and she added equally generous amounts to their mugs.

She opened an oven to pull out a heavy moist cloth that she'd been warming. Settling back into her chair, she draped the cloth across her neck and shoulders, sighing and closing her eyes as she sipped her milk. She willed her body to relax.

Kili looked at her curiously. "Is this something else that Futurians do when they can't sleep?"

"Mmm?" Reese asked, feeling the velvet of his voice wash over her again. She opened her eyes to look at him. He nodded at the cloth around her neck. "Well, not as a rule. I slept badly at the inn in Bree and have a pain in my neck from it. Hopefully the heat will help."

Kili considered her for a moment before rising to his feet. "May I?" he asked, gesturing towards her neck. Reese realized he was offering to rub her neck, and her stomach lurched at the idea of his touching her again. "Oh, you don't have to!" she protested. "Don't feel as though you need to do something nice for me just because I made you something to eat."

Kili shook his head. "I don't feel that way. But I think I can help." He moved his chair behind hers, saying in a husky voice. "I think you'll find dwarves are very good with their hands."

Reese drew her breath in at his words, wondering if he knew what it sounded like he was saying. Was he flirting with her? She sat frozen in her chair as he drew the cloth from her neck.

Kili felt as though he was fighting a war within himself. One moment, he felt paralyzed by his feelings and desire for this woman, terrified of his own emotions, torn between the possibility that she might or might not return his feelings. The next moment, he felt overwhelming impulses to charm her and to touch her. To woo her.

As he settled behind her, he brought his hands to her neck. For a moment, his vision swam as he touched the skin on her shoulders, resisting an urge to moan. He saw Fili settle back into his chair, smoking his pipe, smiling but determinedly interested in a far corner of the kitchen.

Kili cleared his throat. "Tell me where the pain is," he asked, his voice low. Reese seemed frozen, taking a moment before she brought her hand to her neck, pointing to a spot above her left shoulder blade. Kili began to massage the area, finding the knot in her muscle. Not wanting to hurt her, he worked it gently. "You are tight right here," he murmured. "I'm just going to massage it out." Reese nodded shortly as he continued to massage.

After a moment, Kili felt Reese relax, allowing her back to rest against the chair as she tipped her head to the side to give him easier access to the knot. He deepened his touch, and she hissed slightly as he pushed into the knot more firmly. "Sorry," he said. "I'll try to be as gentle as I can."

"It's okay," she answered. "No pain no gain, right?" she joked.

Kili frowned quizzically at her saying. "I guess so," he smiled.

Reese allowed herself to relax, biting back a moan as the feeling of Kili's hands on her skin lulled her into a stupor. She marveled at her lack of willpower, at how she had allowed herself so quickly to get into this situation. Was it only a few hours ago that she had told herself to just get through the dwarves' visit without putting herself in danger of any sort of relationship with the very dwarf she had just prepared a meal for, after attacking him in her nightgown, and was now allowing to rub her neck?

She clearly had lost her senses. She blamed her fatigue from her journey, her surprise at finding Thorin here, her frayed nerves from wrestling with the dwarves, and the heavy dose of liqueur in her milk. Maybe there was something in their pipe smoke, too. She decided she didn't care. Maybe she'd care in the morning, but right now all she cared about was how delicious it felt to be sitting in comfortable silence in the warm kitchen with this intoxicating creature massaging her neck and shoulders.

Her eyes wandered around the kitchen, stopping at Fili's face. She was surprised to see that although he was stretched out in his chair, the seeming picture of relaxation, that he was watching them carefully. His eyes caught hers, and she felt trapped in a silent communication with him as they stared at each other. She realized that he knew. He knew her feelings for his brother. He had the same look on his face as Thorin had before in the dining hall. Was it so obvious to everyone? She felt panic in her eyes and hoped that he would see it as she tried to send him a silent message, begging him not say anything to his brother. His eyes crinkled slightly as he smiled at her in understanding. Then he quirked an eyebrow at her, darting his eyes to his brother and back to her. She felt as though he was communicating something else to her about Kili, but she wasn't able to make sense of it.

They all heard a noise in the dining hall and stiffened. Suddenly, there was a crash of a chair being knocked over followed by a woman's voice softly cursing. Reese looked at them. "It's Michelle!" she whispered a mischievous light coming into her eyes. She looked at Kili, who was grinning at her. "Shall we?" she asked him.

Kili nodded, his eyes glinting at her excitement. Reese looked questioningly at Fili, who shook his head saying, "I'll just watch. My brother and I both love a good joke, but I'm still recovering from my last Futurian prank, thanks."

Reese and Kili silently crept to the kitchen door, taking up position on either side. She looked over at Kili, who was grinning at her broadly, his brown eyes dancing. Reese cursed silently, gazing into Kili's eyes, as she waited for Michelle to enter the kitchen. She was only starting to realize how much trouble she was in, and it wasn't because Michelle was going to kill them for scaring her half to death.

* * *

><p><strong>Since I wrote this chapter, I've been jumping out at my husband all over the place trying to scare him. It's really as much fun as Reese seems to find it here. Re: technology, I do believe they would have been able to create an ice box if they saved ice blocks from the winter by storing it in a shed packed in sawdust. North American pioneers often did this, but I felt like I needed to include an explanatory note because I felt my you all look skeptical every time I read that line :D<strong>


	9. Hide and See

The next day, Reese headed to the dining hall early. She was happy to be back among her people and greeted several friends along the way. Entering the dining hall, she saw the dwarves were already assembled at one of the tables, accompanied by Michelle. They were drawing curious glances from the Futurians. Reese waved at the dwarves as she entered and went to serve herself before heading to their table. She stopped to visit with several Futurians along the way, hugging a few women and children as she passed by.

Kili watched her move across the room. She looked beautiful in a simple knee length dress, brown belt slung low around her hips, and brown leather sandals. His eyes lingered on her as he watched her talk animatedly with several Futurians while she made her way to the dwarves' table.

Sitting down next to Thorin and Gandalf, she wished everyone good morning. A round of enthusiastic good mornings met her, and she smiled.

Michelle addressed her. "Reese, we've just been talking about the Company's plans for their stay with us. Thorin has been telling me that he, Gandalf, and Balin are going to ride to Rivendell today to meet with Lord Elrond to discuss their quest."

Reese looked at Thorin, trying to hide a smile behind her hand as she said politely, "Ahh, so you've decided to travel to Rivendell, Thorin? It must be an important matter." Her eyes laughed at him, knowing he would only agree to enter into the company of elves in the direst of situations.

Thorin glowered at her. "Yes, the wizard has persuaded me to consult with the elves, despite my significant misgivings."

Reese bit her tongue and looked down at her plate, not wanting to laugh at her friend in front of his subjects. Fili, who was sitting next to Thorin, nodded in agreement, ever supportive of his leader. Reese glanced away from them in order to collect herself and caught Kili's eye. The humour of Thorin's irritation at being overruled by Gandalf had not been lost on him either, and the glint in Kili's eye was nearly Reese's undoing.

Pinching her thigh in order to force herself to regain control, she looked back at Thorin. "Please send my regards to Lord Elrond. I'll be going to see him in a week's time. I'd come with you today, but the things I need aren't yet ready. How long will you be going for?"

"Three nights," he growled. He evidently thought that this period of time he was required to stay was the ultimate insult.

Reese pulled her lip between her teeth, nodding at him carefully. She needed to get off this topic.

"So, what are your plans for your time here," she addressed the whole table.

"We intend to stay no longer than three weeks," Thorin added. "My company is in need of rest, and we are very grateful for the generosity of the Futurians. Being able to meet with the elves as needed will also be … helpful." Thorin did not mention an early morning conversation with his nephew begging him to consider staying for several weeks at Adelaide.

"Three weeks!" Reese exclaimed. "That is an honour indeed!" Fuck, she thought. She hoped she came across as pleased, but she was unnerved by the idea of having to somehow keep herself from boldly declaring her feelings for Kili for three entire weeks. The sexual frustration by itself would probably cause her to explode, not even mentioning her desire to run through the halls shouting to the heavens that she loved him.

At first, she'd been confident she'd be able to maintain a detached distance from him. However, the evidence of her behaviour in the kitchen last night told her that she had very little willpower when it came to him.

"Well, I'm sure Michelle has already said that we are pleased to have you here! It's rare that we have visitors, and I have a feeling you'll have a wonderful time here. You've come at a good time, actually. We'll be having a wedding in a few days, which is a rare event for Futurians, and it'll be wonderful to have you join our celebrations! I'm sure you'll find a Futurian wedding something to behold." She smiled warmly at Thorin.

Thorin smiled back at her, nodding. He didn't think she realized that the internal struggle she was experiencing was written clearly on her face. He'd known her for years and had never seen her so uncomfortable. Emotionally uncomfortable at least, as his mind strayed to their many past physical pursuits, some of which had resulted in temporary physical discomfort. "We look forward to it," he said as he cleared his thoughts.

Thorin felt torn between his nephew's happiness and completing the quest. However, his instincts told him that staying at the Futurian castle was the right choice. He pondered Reese as she chatted with the group. She had always told him that she wasn't ever going to allow herself to fall in love, and he felt a twinge of uneasiness for his nephew at the possibility that her self-denial would lead to Kili's heartbreak. But he'd known Reese for a long time, and he felt she wasn't being honest with herself that she needed love and companionship in her life. Thorin also realized that he had little say in Kili's feelings for Reese. Mahal had set Kili on a path that Thorin couldn't stop him from, and the least Thorin could do is give Kili time to explore the road before him.

Thorin considered Reese. She seemed younger to him here. Maybe because she was among her own people she was able to relax. When he'd seen her in Exetor, she presented as more composed and guarded. He'd only ever seen her in her leather travelling suit, heavily laden with daggers, or naked. Seeing her here in a dress, visiting happily with her friends, he saw that she was a young woman with many years ahead of her.

Thorin's thoughts were interrupted by two women approaching the table. Reese rose to meet them, and they hugged her, exclaiming they hadn't known she'd returned. Reese turned to introduce them to the company. "These are my friends, Janine Stewart and Sarah deMoisac."

Janine, a plump blond, and Sarah, a dark curvy brunette with seductive features, both eyed the princes. Fili winked at them, making the women laugh. Sarah and Janine's flirtatious sexuality well known among the Futurians. Reese was sure their interest had been immediately peaked by the presence of these male dwarves. She didn't mind their sexual freedom and often envied it. However, she felt uncomfortable as she saw Sarah's eyes linger on Kili's form.

Fili offered for them to sit by him, making room for them between him and Kili. Reese ignored a pang of jealousy as Sarah squeezed next to Kili onto the crowded bench, her body pressing against his briefly. She gave him the sappiest look Reese had ever seen anyone have on their face, and Kili grinned down at her. Reese caught herself wishing she were the one sitting next to Kili, her thigh pressed against his as he grinned at her flirtatiously.

Reese's thoughts were drawn away when they were joined by Borgia, Adam, and Adam's wife, Julie. Adam and Julie were trailed by eleven rowdy curly blond children all under the age of sixteen. Julie was also holding twin 18 month boys in her arms while Adam barked over his shoulder at their brood to calm down and try to be respectful of the guests. Thorin looked at her and mouthed, "Thirteen?!" Reese covered her laugh with her mouth and nodded, signaling by pointing to her stomach that Julie was expecting again. Thorin rolled his eyes to the sky.

Upon seeing Reese, several of the younger children squealed and ran to her, jumping on her fighting over who got to hug her first. Reese laughed, making sure they all got their chance, and piled them around her and on her knees, drawing them all in a cuddle. Their breakfast group was quickly becoming a loud informal gathering, not typically what you would expect in the presence of a king. Thorin didn't mind, of course. He was used to the rowdy nature of dwarves, and his beard twitched as he watched Reese cuddle the children to her. He saw a pained look of longing cross her face as she ruffled a toddler's hair.

The merry group ate breakfast amidst boisterous conversation. Reese marveled at how much the dwarves could eat and laughed as they sang little songs and played games with each other and the children, initiating a small food fight. Sarah and Janine squealed as they were hit with a spoonful of eggs. Kili laughed, and he and Fili took the opportunity to protect the two women, using their plates as shields. Adam grumbled as coffee was spilled on his breakfast, and Julie ineffectually scolded any of her children who joined in the fight. Thorin smiled at how relaxed the Futurians were with the dwarves, feeling annoyed that he had to spend three days with pretentious elves.

The conversation ended when Gandalf rose. "It's time for us to depart." Thorin nodded and rose as well, a brooding look settling over his features, and Balin joined them.

Saying his goodbyes, he glowered at Kili and Fili, quirking an eyebrow at Kili who seemed to be flirting with the Futurian woman beside him. Flirting came too naturally to his nephews, and they didn't even seem to know they were doing it.

Thorin indicated to Kili that he wished to talk to him, pulling him aside. "I think you need to watch yourself. There's no point in our staying here for so long if you're going to waste your time with any woman who shows interest in you," he growled.

Kili looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean?" he asked in confusion.

"The woman sitting next to you has already marked you as her own, and you haven't done anything to deter her."

Kili looked around at Sarah. "I thought I was just being nice."

"Don't be so nice that they end up jumping into your bed. Sometimes I think being nice turns to bedding in the blink of an eye for you," Thorin glowered at him warningly.

"I didn't mean anything by it," muttered Kili, flushing at his uncle's words.

Michelle addressed Reese, pulling her attention from Thorin and Kili who were having a hushed conversation that she could not hear. "I understand that the dwarves would find it helpful to have a place to train during their stay with us. Would you be able to help them find a suitable location?"

Reese nodded. "I was thinking the west meadow would be perfect." She looked at the large dwarf with several tattoos on his head, trying to remember his name. He seemed to be their master at arms. "It's an open space, which would allow for sparring, but there are trees as well for target practice." Dwalin grunted, which Reese took to be agreement.

"It's going to be really hot today, so let's get going before the sun rises too high. Let's meet in the courtyard in ten minutes." Everyone quickly tidied up their table, depositing their dishes in the kitchen, and headed to their rooms to gather their weapons. Reese changed into shorts and a sleeveless shirt, tying a cloth around her hair to catch sweat.

Arriving in the courtyard, she saw that there was quite a gathering of people. In addition to the dwarves, Adam and Borgia and several of the Futurian women archers were waiting with their weapons. It appeared that training with dwarves was an opportunity not to be passed up. Bilbo even tagged along with his small sword strapped to his hips. Reese felt a pang as she saw Fili and Kili at the back of the group, chatting with Sarah and Janine who were members of the trained archers. Reese took a breath and followed the group Adam was leading up to the West Meadow.

As Kili walked with his brother and the women, he saw Reese in the middle of the group. He wondered if she was avoiding him. She hadn't spoken to him all morning, although she'd spoken to Fili. She didn't seem angry, just distant. After last night, he was no longer worried she disliked him. They had sat in the kitchen with Fili and Michelle talking long into the night. That morning, he had gone early to Thorin's room, asking for the company to linger at Adelaide so that he had the opportunity to spend more time with Reese. At breakfast, his uncle had pulled him aside to tell him to stop flirting with the Futurian named Sarah. Kili had been furious that his uncle would accuse him of flirting, but he wanted to make sure Reese didn't get the same impression.

Kili began to walk faster, leaving his brother with the two women, and caught up with Reese. As he joined her, Reese seemed to be deep in thought. "Are you still interested in learning to shoot a bow?" he asked.

Reese jumped surprised by his voiice. She looked at him and flushed slightly. "Sure," she said, "But don't worry if you have other things you'd like to work on instead."

Kili smiled at her. "You're not trying to get rid of me, I hope. I'd enjoy it. Maybe you can teach me something about daggers," he ventured.

He was making it very difficult to maintain a distance from him, and she didn't want to be rude to him. It wasn't his fault that every thought she had seem to focus on ripping his clothes off his gorgeous body. "Well, I doubt there is anything I could teach you about daggers. But I wouldn't mind a lesson in archery, if people weren't all standing around watching me, that is."

Kili smiled at her. "I'm sure there's a lot you could offer me about daggers," he murmured, glancing up at her. She looked at him in surprise. Was he flirting with her? She worried she'd given him the wrong impression the night before.

At the meadow, they broke into groups based on what people wanted to work on. Despite wanting to spend time with Reese, Kili found himself drawn into the group of women archers. They had several questions about his bow, which was different from theirs, and they all took turns making shots and discussing technique. Kili found several of the archers took the opportunity to touch him when he was making a shot.

Kili spent some time watching Reese practice with Dwalin and Adam. She had strapped her daggers onto her thighs, tucking several more into her waistband and boots. The leather straps against her bare skin were tantalizing. She had quite a bit of skill at knife fighting, and he stood watching her discretely, admiring her from a distance.

Reese took a break from sparring with Dwalin to let Adam have an opportunity to fight him. She was excited to see them fight together, considering how skilled they both were. She wasn't disappointed. Dwalin wasn't as tall as Adam but had a great deal of strength. Adam was very quick for a big man. They had different styles, and their fighting each other was like watching a dance. They soon had attracted the rest of the group as an audience, and people began exchanging bets about the outcome of the fight.

"Maybe now would be a good time for an archery lesson." Kili's silky voice was low in her ear, making her gasp. She hadn't heard him come up behind her. Looking up at him, her skin prickled at his close proximity. Nodding wordlessly, she followed him into the trees to where he had his bow.

Kili took her hand and drew her towards him as he held the bow between them. She loved the feel of her hand in his large one. She felt like he was cradling her hand, treasuring it as though it was precious.

"Have you ever shot a bow before?" he asked, looking at her.

She shook her head. "Not since I was really young. I don't know if I was even taught properly, and I don't remember anything," she smiled. "I'm a blank canvas for you to paint on."

Kili looked down at the bow. "Are you now?" he murmured. He glanced up her while handing her the bow. Reese actually felt pain at how luscious he was. She heard a cheer behind them and glanced over to see the fight still going.

"I'm going to teach you the dwarven way of shooting a bow. Unlike your archers, we shoot from a lower position by our hip," Kili explained as Reese nodded.

Kili went through explaining to her how to use the bow, showing her how to hold it, cock arrows, and aim. She found him to be a good teacher. He was patient and clear in his instructions. He watched her shoot several arrows, giving her verbal instruction, sometimes moving forward to change her hand position or adjust her posture slightly.

"Good, you're doing well," Kili said. "For a beginner, you're doing very well. Now, there are some small things I'd like to change." She expected him to reach out, pointing again to where she needed to make adjustments. Instead, he moved to stand close behind her to get a better feel for posture and grip. Reese stiffened immediately.

Kili's voice was low in her ear. "No no, don't tighten up. Now, I want you to move your arms like this." He reached a hand out to her arms, adjusting them the way he wanted. "Put your hands like this." His hands caressed hers slightly as he made slight adjustments to both of her hands, bringing his face close to hers to look down over her shoulder at the bow. She breathed in quickly, catching his scent as his beard scratched her cheek. Did she just hear him chuckle lightly? "Now, I want you to move your feet like this." Moving his foot between hers, he pushed her legs apart slightly.

"Twist your hips back a bit." He put his hands on her hips, pulling them back into him. Reese had to bite her lip to keep from moaning as she felt herself press against him. "Turn your body slightly this way." His hands came to her ribs, touching them lightly as he adjusted their angle.

"And your shoulders like this." He brought his hands to her shoulders, rolling them slightly to be angled better. "You're hunching, so you need to stand a bit taller." He ran his hand softly between her shoulder blades, his fingers trailing over bare skin. This time she was sure she heard quiet laughter rumble in his chest as she shivered slightly as his touch. "Now, turn your face this way." His voice was even lower than before as his hand came slowly to her chin, turning it slightly. He caressed her cheek lightly as he drew his hand away. Reese felt her mouth go dry, disappointed that the touch had only lasted a moment.

"Good," he said. "Now I just want to check …" He pressed his body fully against hers this time. She dared not move lest she ruin everything he had just changed in her posture. She held perfectly still as he stood with his chest pressed to her back, leaning his head over her shoulder as he looked at the aim of her arrow. She could feel his breath sweep across her collar bone. She closed her eyes, taking a slow deep breath as the seconds ticked by with her back pressed against him.

"Good," he said again. He stepped back. "Let 'er fly." Swallowing first, Reese released the string, and the arrow made a perfect bull's-eye.

Despite the fact that her head was still swimming from Kili's closeness, Reese shouted, punching the air victoriously. "Yes!" She grinned as Kili laughed at her. "I know it was all you, but still it's so satisfying for me!" Forgetting herself, she move to high five him. He didn't know what she was trying to do, so she showed him how people could playfully clasp their hands together in celebration. His hands lingered in her hand before she pulled away.

Kili gazed at her beautiful face, her eyes alight with triumph, her mouth wide in a grin. They stood gazing at each other a moment before they were interrupted.

A slow clap sounded behind them as they both turned to see Fili leaning against a tree. "Well done!" he said. "I must say you're an improvement on my brother. He might need you to come into battle with him so that he can actually shoot properly."

Reese laughed as Kili punched Fili lightly in the arm. The group watching Adam and Dwalin had broken up. The fight had been a tie without either being able to best the other. The archers returned to the trees, and Reese thanked Kili for the lesson before moving back towards the clearing.

As the morning continued, Reese grew weary of the group. She was tired of watching the archers flirt with Kili, and she felt she could use a nap as the day grew hotter. She also wouldn't mind a bath, feeling sticky with sweat from her exertion with Dwalin. Excusing herself to Dwalin, she moved towards the edge of the forest, taking a separate path from the one they had traveled to get to the meadow. Kili watched her disappear into the trees. He wondered at her safety alone in the woods.

The noise of the group soon fell behind Reese, and she relished the cool silence of the trees. She walked for fifteen minutes and could barely hear the group at all. She was feeling physically exhausted by her constant yearning for Kili. "Three weeks," she muttered grumpily. She'd be dead from exhaustion before the first week was out.

Reese breathed in the mossy scent of the forest around her. She loved the solitude it offered her, and the clean fresh scents helped to clear her head. She held her hand out, stroking trees as she walked by. They were tall thick old trees that grew on the gently sloping valley wall. The looked up at the tops far above her, seeing the leaves trembling in the gentle wind, the clear blue sky above them.

Reese came upon one of the streams that fed the many waterfalls that ran around and over the castle. The water was cool and inviting, and she thought she would love to swim. She removed her clothing and slid into one of the pools along the stream. She immediately felt refreshed and willed her worries to wash away as she floated in the water. She was enjoying the time to herself to gather her thoughts and clear her mind.

She spent quite a long time in the pool, floating on her back, staring up at the clear blue sky. She swirled the water with her hands, pushing cold waves over her breasts and shoulders. Birds crisscrossed through her vision far above her in the tree tops. When she finally grew cold she drew herself up on the flat rock where she'd left her clothes. It had a bit of sun falling on it, and she stretched out to bask in the heat on her cool skin. She closed her eyes, her body warming from the sun and the warm rock. She spread her fingers over the rock surface, playing with the grain of the stone while the wind blew gently over her skin. Sighing contentedly, she enjoyed the clarity of her mind as she connected with the ground and the world around her. She felt herself begin to gently doze.

Reese jolted awake as she heard a twig snap. Her heart froze. The sound of the twig was coming in the completely opposite direction of the fighters, who she could still hear shouting and laughing far in the distance. Would they hear her if she screamed? She doubted they would, their own noise drowning out that of any around them. Looking around her, she saw one of her knives within reach. Drawing the dagger into her hand, she slipped silently behind a tree. She heard a twig snap again, even closer this time. Her heart was racing now. She listened carefully for any sign of whether the intruder was an orc or an animal, but she expected an orc as an animal was less likely to be so noisy as it moved. She wondered if she should run, but knew she wasn't fast enough to outrun an orc. She looked around for a tree to climb, but the ones near her had branches too high for her to reach.

She heard the creature pause on the other side of her tree. It was close enough now that she could hear its breath. Reese's heart stopped. It sounded like there was only one, and she hoped with luck that she'd be able to overpower it. Palming her dagger loosely in her hand, she decided her advantage lay in the offensive. She heard the creature shift again, and she swiftly moved out, reaching to point her dagger at the throat of the intruder, ready to slit it in an instant.

She froze. Kili was standing there, sword lifted, eyeing her dagger warily. Reese's heart stopped. They stood staring at each other, fear and surprise written on both of their faces. "Shit." she exclaimed. "Kili!" She suddenly became aware that she was completely naked as Kili's face turned from surprise to amusement. His eyes darkened as they ran down her body, lingering on her breasts and the fan shaped tattoo between them.

"Shit!" she said again, quickly moving behind the tree she'd come from. She heard Kili begin to laugh. "What are you doing here?! This isn't funny! I'm naked Kili!" She felt anger and embarrassment rise up inside of her.

Kili was still laughing. "I'm well aware that you're naked. Don't get mad at me. I didn't take your clothes off."

"Stop laughing and pass me my things! What were you thinking, sneaking up on me like that?"

"I wasn't sneaking up on you," he said as he moved to pick up her clothes and passed them around the tree.

"What would you call it?" she grumbled.

"I was looking for you. You'd been gone a long time, and this forest isn't safe for anyone to be wandering alone. I thought something might have happened to you."

"Then why were you coming from the south west?" she cried as she came around the tree, fully dressed. Kili looked mournfully at her clothes. "And don't look at me like that. Save those looks for a woman who wants them," she snapped.

She immediately regretted her hard words as Kili looked pained at the last statement before he said, "I crossed over the stream higher up before doubling back to head back to the group. I was going to tell Fili I was going to look for you at the castle to make sure you got back alright. I didn't want him to worry about me. When I came upon the pool and saw your clothes and daggers, I was worried that something might have happened in the pool."

Reese cringed at the implication that people liked to know where the people they cared about where. "I don't need babysitting, Kili. I've been on my own for a while, you know." She ignored the fear she'd felt when she'd realized she was alone in the woods, being stalked by what she thought was an orc.

Kili held his hands up in mock defense, grinning at her again. "Sorry, sorry. I was only trying to help."

"Don't smile at me," Reese growled, pulling on her boots. "I'm mortified as it is."

"I can't see why," Kili said in a low voice. Reese cringed again as the melody of his voice washed seductively over her.

"You can't help but flirt with any woman in front of you, can you?" she snapped, jumping to her feet and striding in the direction of the castle, ignoring the hurt look on his face.

Kili stood for a moment before following her at a distance. She knew he was making sure she made it to the castle safely, despite his desire to let his brother know he was safe. She felt a pang of guilt and stopped. Turning to him she said, "We should let Fili know you're alright. You've been gone a long time." Kili nodded, looking grateful.

They walked back to the group without talking. When they exited the trees, the group was already packing up. Reese moved from the trees to join them in their preparations to return to the castle for lunch. She saw Kili join his brother, who cast him an annoyed look as though to say, "Where the hell were you? I was worried!" She scowled, feeling the clarity and peace she'd achieved slipping away from her.


	10. Seek and You Shall Find

Kili spent the afternoon searching for Reese in the castle. He wanted to apologize to her for what happened in the forest. They hadn't spoken at all on their way back to the group, and she had clearly avoided him as they returned to the castle. Kili had looked for her around the castle and had been directed to her room after asking Adam where he might find her.

Kili knocked softly on Reese's door but there was no answer. He opened the door a crack and called her name. Not hearing a response, he widened the door to see an empty room. The door opened into a living room furnished with a large desk, fireplace, divan, and two comfortable chairs, as well as a book case and several pieces of art covering the stone walls. The candles were all cold, and the wall sconces were empty. Two wooden doors exiting from the room on either side of the desk stood open as well, and the quarters were dark and silent.

Kili wondered where she could be. He'd searched everywhere he could think of, and he must have missed her somewhere. Kili shut the door behind himself to take a minute to think. He glanced around the living room and his eyes landed on the desk with paper and quill on it. Thinking he would leave her a note, he crossed the room to her desk, which was beside her open bedroom door. Kili glanced into the bedroom and saw a large four poster bed made of dark wood set against the wall. A long dresser stood against one wall beside another fireplace built on an angle into the wall, with a large wardrobe near the head of the bed, also made of dark wood. A north facing window was set into the stone above the dresser, lighting the room with long shadows from the late afternoon sun.

Kili froze as he saw Reese in the bed, sleeping. She was lying on her back, a sheet draped half over her naked body. He cursed silently as he wished he had knocked more loudly.

Kili stood frozen, unsure what to do next. A better person would have left the room, maybe someone with more restraint. Someone a little less reckless, a little less impish. Someone a little less irresistibly drawn to the woman on the bed.

Instead, Kili quietly entered the room further, unable to remove himself from her presence. He stood inside her doorway for several minutes not moving, his eyes caressing her form. One arm was stretched above her head and her face was turned away from him. His eyes traveled down her face, over the hollow in her neck, and gazed at her large, beautiful breasts. He wondered if she liked having her breasts stroked and suckled gently. He so badly wanted to caress them.

He closes his eyes to block out the image, his head dizzy with arousal. Opening them again, his eyes continued to travel down her body and stopped at the tattoo on her right thigh. He moved closer to get a better look. He hadn't been able to look at her tattoos before now. He'd never seen a woman with tattoos before and found it incredibly arousing. This tattoo was a picture of four brown owls on a branch, two adult owls, and two baby owls, cuddled together and looking lovingly at each other. Dwarves' tattoos always had meaning, and he wondered if this tattoo had significance for Reese. His head filled with questions he yearned to ask her about herself and her life.

Reese began to stir and flutter her eyelids. Kili panicked, immediately regretting moving further into the room. Now he was trapped, too far from the door to be able to escape undetected. He looked around the room and saw he was close to the wardrobe, which stood slightly open. He quickly ducked into the wardrobe, squeezing his broad shoulders into the tight space, and pulled the door behind him. He was unable to pull it all the way shut from the inside, resulting in his still being able to see her. Kili leaned against the wall of the wardrobe, terrified she was going to find him. His heart was hammering in his head as he attempted to quiet his breathing. Pressing his back against the wall of the wardrobe, he closed his eyes and waited, hoping she wouldn't have reason to look inside the wardrobe.

Reese moaned and stretched, arching and pulling the sheet entirely from her body. Her nipples puckered in the cool air in her room. Reese had spent the rest of the day avoiding Kili. Knowing the other Futurians were eager to spend time with the dwarves and make sure they were comfortable, Reese had spent the heat of the afternoon napping. She woke after sleeping deeply for a couple of hours, reluctant to leave the cool dark safety of her room.

She turned sleepily on her side and remembered the events of the morning. In the privacy of her room, she allowed herself to remember the feel of Kili's hands on her body as he adjusted her stance when holding his bow. She moaned softly as she remembered his pushing her legs farther apart and pressing his back against hers to check her position. His body had felt hard and strong. She'd had to resist the urge to lean back and let her head fall against his shoulder. How she longed to touch his shoulders, to run her hands along his collarbone and neck and dip her fingertips into the hollow where they met. She wanted him to pull her to him, cuddling her into the broad expanse of his chest.

She slid her cheek along the cool pillow, remembering his beard against the skin there. Her mind trailed to the moment in the forest pool when she'd been standing before him naked and his eyes had travelled down her body. She'd seen hunger in his eyes and knew he'd found her desirable, despite her holding a knife to his throat. She laughed softly thinking maybe he'd found that even more desirable. She imagined he would not deny her if she approached him. What if instead of ducking behind the tree, she'd moved towards him then, pulling him to her by his belt, waiting unnecessarily long to drop her dagger. She might have pulled his pants loose, freeing his cock but leaving him clothed. Would he have taken her against the tree, the rough bark against her back, their cries unheard by any around them except the birds? She imagined what it would feel like for Kili to thrust into her hungrily.

Reese felt herself growing wet and the ache build between her legs. This ache had become familiar since the dwarves had arrived. She trailed her hands down her abdomen to between her legs, searching for a release. She moaned softly as her fingers slipped between her wet folds, gently massaging her clitoris.

Kili still had his eyes closed. He was tense with fear that she was going to discover him at any moment. However, when he heard her moan softly, he couldn't stop his eyes from flying open.

Kili had only dreamed of what he saw. He had fantasized what it would be like to watch Reese pleasure herself in front of him, responding to his commands. He couldn't help but gaze transfixed at the scene unfolding before him.

Kili watched as she dipped her hand between her legs and began to move her fingers rhythmically, simultaneously grinding her hips. He watched her other hand lazily drag down to her breasts, tweaking each of her nipples in turn. He nearly groaned when she raised the hand she'd been fondling her breast with to her lips, licked her fingers, and brought them back to her nipples. He saw her nipples pucker tightly in response to the cool moisture being applied to him.

Kili wondered what she was thinking about. He wondered what she liked, what sorts of things brought her to orgasm. His vision clouded with images of his doing things to her to make her come, making her have huge screaming orgasms. He watched as she brought herself to climax, and his heart stopped as she cried out. The look on her face as she became undone was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. He leaned against the wall overwhelmed with the beauty of this woman before him, wishing he could touch her, capturing her lips with his as she moaned. He closed his eyes again, trying to calm the beating of his heart and to ignore his straining erection.

Reese wasn't surprised that she'd come quickly. She felt as though she was on the brink every moment of the day that had passed. Grateful for the momentary release, she pulled the covers over herself, curling onto her side and passing back into slumber.

A few hours later, Reese woke. She had slept the afternoon away. She lay still for a while, feeling cold and hungry, pulling the covers tightly around herself as the light outside her window told her the end of the day was approaching, the heat of the sun leaving the earth. She was always grateful that evenings at Adelaide remained cool.

Her stomach rumbled noisily, and she rose from the bed to dress. She pulled one of the doors to her wardrobe open to don brown linen pants, a soft white undershirt, and a long sleeved oversized sweater that wrapped cozily around her. She bent to pull on socks before slipping her feet into a well-worn pair of brown leather shoes. As the air stirred, her nose caught a scent. It smelled deep and masculine of woods and musk. It reminded her of Kili's scent when he'd leaned against her during her archery lesson. She slowly opened the second door of her wardrobe. The scent hit her again, more strongly this time, as she stared into her wardrobe. Seeing the sleeveless shirt she'd been wearing this morning, she pulled it to her nose and inhaled deeply savoring the smell of him. She wondered at the ability of his scent to linger on her clothing after such brief contact.

Arriving at the dining hall, Reese wandered towards the food line. The dwarves were at a table surrounded by Futurians. They'd clearly made friends in the short time they'd been there. The group was rowdy already. Reese saw Kili surrounded by several women, including Sarah. Reese dropped her head, hoping he wouldn't see her. She drew her sweater around her ribs and tousled her hair with her hands, yawning discretely as she was still waking up from her afternoon of slumber.

Entering into the line for food, Reese served herself. Michelle jumped in line behind her. "Hey! Where have you been all day?"

"Hiding," Reese grumbled, yawning again and rubbing her eyes. "In my bed."

"You look it," Michelle said, eyeing her friend's tousled hair. "What are you hiding from?"

Reese looked at her friend grumpily. "Men. Dwarves."

Michelle's eyebrows rose. "Really, any particular one, or just the group in general? I'd understand if you were avoiding all males. Sometimes it's what I want to do."

Reese smiled and shook her head. "Just one. Chocolate eyes. Dark hair. Amazing body. Amazing voice. Too friendly."

"Oh." Michelle eyed her friend in confusion. "You mean the young one? Kili? What happened to Thorin?"

Reese shrugged. "Not that kind of relationship. I think he knows too."

"Hmmmmm. Do you want to sit down to talk about this?" Reese shrugged sleepily, letting her friend lead her over to a secluded table.

Sitting down, Reese told Michelle everything. At first Michelle was excited. She wanted for her friend to be happy. But as Reese told her the rest of the story, she realized how difficult this was for her Reese who had always cut herself off from any possible romantic attachments. At first Michelle had hoped Reese's relationship with Thorin might turn into more, but time had proven that Reese and Thorin's relationship was not based on the possibility of love.

"This is torture for you," Michelle observed, glancing over at Kili. "Are you sure there's no chance …"

"No," Reese grumbled. "Don't even bring it up. This is not what I want. I like the way things are in my life right now, and I don't want things to change."

Michelle nodded. "Okay." She glanced around the room. "So what's your plan for the rest of the time he's here?"

Reese considered this. "Well, I'm on laundry duty tomorrow, so that will keep me out of the way. Then there are the wedding preparations, which are going to keep me busy. There's a few days there. I guess I can just avoid him the rest of the time, maybe pick up a few extra kitchen shifts. I have to stay away because whenever I'm around him I seem to forget what I want and let things happen …" She trailed off thinking. "Then next week I have to go to Rivendell, and I could probably extend my stay there by a few days. But I hate to do that to Adam, keeping him away unnecessarily. Although, maybe just Borgia can come since it's only a day's ride. After that, there'll only be a few days left. And I guess when worst comes to worst I can throw myself in the fountain several times a day to cool myself off. Take lots of naps, too. That might work." She smiled wryly at Michelle, hoping she'd laugh at Reese's attempt at levity.

Michelle shrugged. "Alright, who am I to question. But I do wonder if you're missing an opportunity here." Reese glowered at her.

Michelle looked over Reese's shoulder at the dwarf table. "God he's sexy," Michelle breathed, eyeing Kili. "What do you think he's like in bed? Like do you think he's always playful like this, or do you think he has a dark sultry side that comes out?"

Sarah stared at Michelle in irritation. "Helpful, thank you," she snarked sarcastically.

Michelle rolled her eyes slightly before glancing at the table again. "Well you better be sure that you're not interested because it looks like Sarah is ready to make her move, and he doesn't seem to be shunning her."

Reese couldn't help glancing over her shoulder to see Sarah for some reason hugging Kili tightly while he laughed at Bofur. Reese looked away annoyed. "God, she's throwing herself at him like a …."

Michelle interrupted Reese sharply. "Don't finish that sentence. Sarah's doing nothing wrong, and neither is he if he enjoys it. Don't be a jerk to our friend just because she's going for what she wants when you don't have the guts."

Reese was hurt by Michelle's words and was taken aback by her outburst. She didn't agree with what Michelle had just said about not having the guts, but Reese bit her tongue not wanting to provoke her further. Michelle raised her hands saying, "I'm sorry. This is your thing, but I just don't want to participate in your scapegoating people because there's stuff going on that you can't or won't deal with."

Reese shut her eyes and rested her hand in her head and deciding to steer away from this topic. "I'm sorry. I was going too far."

Michelle nodded, smiling at Reese in spite of her previously harsh words. She cleared her throat. "I have to make an announcement about how long the dwarves are staying and that they'll be joining in the wedding. Do you want to sneak out of here before I do that? Maybe we can meet in the baths later for a more relaxing girl chat, maybe invite the other girls and take our minds off things? It'll be good for you to be with people, and I could use a break too. I don't know if I'm PMSing or something, but running this castle this week is wearing on me."

Reese nodded. "Maybe the upcoming wedding?" Michelle looked thoughtful. "That sounds great though," Reese continued. "I'll see you down there in a couple hours then." She stood up and slipped out the dining hall, hopefully unnoticed. She felt bad for not spending time with Thorin's people, but she could only handle so much temptation in one day.

Reese heard Michelle address the group, officially welcoming the dwarves, which was met with rowdy cheers from the Futurians. She then announced that the dwarves would be staying for three weeks and will be attending the wedding celebrations. The Futurians' cheered more loudly in response to this news. Reese couldn't help feeling proud of her people that they were so happy to have Thorin's company here with them. She knew the Futurians had a reputation of being inhospitable and reclusive, and she was glad that the dwarves were able to see this other side to their community.

Kili saw Reese slide out of the dining hall. He still wanted to apologize to her for intruding on her in the forest, although he felt as though he had so much to apologize for at this point that he wasn't sure where to start. He'd watched her visit with Lady Michelle. They'd seemed engaged in a deep conversation during which Reese shook her head several times. He watched her leave again, noting how sexy she looked in the loose brown pants and sweater with her hair mussed from sleep.

Kili moved to follow Reese just when Lady Michelle began to address the gathering, officially welcoming the dwarves. As one of the Princes of Erebor, Kili was unable to leave until Lady Michelle was done. When Lady Michelle was finished, Kili excused himself from the table and went into the hallway to look for Reese, but he was unable to find her for the rest of the evening.

Reese went to visit with Julie and her kids for a couple of hours before meeting Michelle in the baths. Julie and Adam were good friends of hers, and she loved their children, even if being around so many screaming toddlers at bedtime was a bit overwhelming.

Adam and Julie were one of the Futurian's greatest success stories. Julie had arrived in Middle Earth alone forty years ago. She'd had a family and children before she'd arrived, and she'd been devastated for several years by not being able to get back to them. Adam had arrived ten years later. He'd been out hunting with his brother when the forest around Adam had changed and he'd arrived in the Futurian valley. Futurians seemed to always arrive in this valley, which was why they'd built Adelaide there. Adam and Julie had hit it off instantly. They'd had so many similar values, in particular their intense Christian beliefs, which Reese did not share with them. When Reese had arrived 16 years ago, Julie had taken Reese on as a little sister of sorts and had been helpful to Reese in her grieving. Since that time, Reese had always felt as though they were family and their children her nieces and nephews. Like many Futurians, this new extended family had helped Reese gain a sense of belonging in this strange world.

Reese sometimes found being around them a bit frustrating, but in the way that she'd often found her own sisters annoying when they disagreed or tried to take care of each other too much. She tended to like Adam better, who was a bit more relaxed about some of his and Julie's staunch beliefs. Because she preferred Adam, Reese felt like she had to make sure that Julie didn't ever suspect her relationship with Adam to be anything more than friendship. Reese also felt bad that Adam accompanied her on so many outings. It probably wasn't easy to be left with so many kids while Adam was away, although the Futurian community was very helpful to each other with things like child rearing. Julie usually had several people clamoring to look after her children. When Reese got back to Adelaide, she made a point of visiting Julie as often as possible to lend a hand.

Although she loved Julie, she was frustrated because Julie was always trying to fix her up with a man. Julie and Reese had such similar stories, and Reese was often annoyed that Julie didn't understand Reese's reluctance to remarry and have children again. However, despite these irritations, Julie was a dear friend. She helped Julie get the younger kids ready for bed, dodging Julie's pointed questions about finding a husband and encouragement for Reese to date one of the Futurian men. Recently, Julie had been stuck on a man named Benjamin.

Benjamin was a Futurian who'd been at Adelaide for 70 years and had shown some interest in Reese. She was irritated because there were quite a few other women he could pursue, and she'd made it clear she wasn't interested. Benjamin was close friends with Julie, but Reese didn't like him. She imagined she saw a side to him that Julie didn't see, a lecherous side of a man who wanted a woman because he was insulted by her reluctance and saw himself as superior to her.

Adam, who was always good at reading people, often tried to dissuade Julie's encouragement of Reese's becoming involved with Benjamin, but Julie ignored Adam's remarks, telling Adam to leave the matters of women to her. Reese knew that Julie wanted to see her friend happy and to Julie that meant married and settled down with children.

Reese was also surprised to learn that Julie wasn't as enamored with the dwarves as many of the Futurians were. Reese was particularly surprised because she'd often thought if there were any Futurian man who most resembled a dwarf's temperament, it was Adam. Reese learned Julie didn't like how flirtatious they were. Julie tended to be more conservative than many of the other Futurian women. Adam seemed to have a more realistic view of the world, but Reese was more likely to see this when they were out on the road. Reese doubted Julie was aware of her involvement with Thorin Oakenshield or Julie would have voiced her disapproval.

However, Reese dearly loved Julie and Adam's children and didn't mind some of her irritation with Julie in exchange for the time spent with them. Julie really was like a sister to her that simply didn't always see eye to eye with Reese on things.

After the children were in bed, Julie and Reese had a chance to sit and visit, Reese updating Julie on some of the things she'd seen on her latest excursion. Julie told Reese about her pregnancy, saying she thought this one was a girl. Reese smiled thinking if anyone knew the symptoms of pregnancy associated with gender it was Julie. This would be her and Adam's fourteenth child together.

Julie turned the conversation to Benjamin, and Reese took this as her cue to leave for the evening. She bade Julie good night and headed to the baths, making sure to listen carefully for any dwarves in the hallway that she should avoid. Reese was starting to feel refreshed from her evening with Julie and their family, enjoying having her mind distracted.

Reese was the first to arrive in the baths. She hadn't met anyone on her way and was happy to see the baths unoccupied. Not wasting a moment, she pulled the privacy screen across the pool. If any of the dwarves came, she didn't need to worry about their knowing she was present. After her event with Kili in the pool, Reese realized she needed to be careful about disrobing where she could be found. She didn't want to create anymore tempting situations for herself. Quickly removing her clothes, she slid into the water.

The baths were one of Reese's favourite places in the castle. She'd always loved water, and she could spend hours in the warm water, floating and thinking. She also loved to bring Julie's kids here with her to play. Reese floated on her back gazing at the ceiling above her. The light in the room was warm and golden, cast by just two torches, the windows giving a view of the black night sky. She listened to the water spilling into the pool from the fountain in the far corner and the waves lapping against the pool edges.

Sarah arrived shortly after and had a big smile for her. Reese felt a pang of guilt for what she'd said about Sarah in the dining hall and was grateful to Michelle for stopping her from slandering their friend. Reese and Sarah fell into silence as they both relaxed in the warm water. They were soon joined by Janine and Michelle. Janine was carrying four glasses and the bottle of mulberry liqueur Reese had opened the night before. Remembering the previous night, Reese was stunned thinking that only a day had passed since the dwarves had arrived. They each had a generous serving of the liqueur as they reclined against the edges of the pool.

"Mmmmm, this is divine," Sarah moaned. "I think I could stay here all night."

"Me too," breathed Janine. "Even though it was so hot today, this feels great."

"Yep," agreed Michelle. Nobody wanted to talk very much.

They sat in the water enjoying each other's company, their muscles relaxing in the heat, sipping the liqueur. After a few minutes, Janine said, "I'm going to sleep with Fili."

"Yep." The three other women nodded, fully aware already of Janine's intent, as they stared hazily across the room, half lost in their own thoughts.

"It's going to be awesome." Janine added, unperturbed by her friends' lack of surprise.

"Probably," the three agreed. They had all had their own thoughts about how good the dwarves were likely to be in bed, and Janine was skilled in her own right.

"Kili is so god damn hot," Sarah added.

The women nodded murmuring agreement again. Reese saw Michelle glance at her quickly, checking to see if Reese was going to be rude. Reese didn't betray any emotion on her face.

Sarah looked over at Michelle and Reese. "What about you two? Anyone catch you eye?"

Reese grimaced but saw Michelle blush at the question. She looked at her friend in surprised. "Michelle?" Michelle was normally outwardly chaste and reserved. She never engaged in any flirtation or dalliances with men or women. Reese knew Michelle was a very sexual woman but she'd held herself apart romantically since arriving in Middle Earth 150 years ago. Reese was stunned that Michelle might have found a dwarf to tempt her. "Who?" Reese asked.

Michelle blushed, shrugging. "I think Bofur is cute."

"Bofur? Which one is that?" Reese asked, looking at Janine and Sarah in surprise.

"One with the hat," Janine said.

"Woah," said Sarah.

"Don't make too much of it," said Michelle. "I just think he's cute and sweet."

Janine looked at Michelle. "Hmmmm, nope, this is big." She grinned as Michelle shook her head.

"Who knew Dwarves would be such a hit around here?" Reese laughed.

"Shhhh," Michelle hushed them as they giggled quietly, lapsing back into momentary silence.

"What about you, Reese?" Sarah pushed again. "Anyone catch your eye?"

Reese wrinkled her nose and shook her head.

"She's saving herself for _Benjamin_," Janine teased, knowing of Julie's plans for Reese.

Reese snorted. "Benjamin is an ass." The other three nodded in agreement.

"He's kind of a prick, seems to think he's God's gift to women," added Sarah. "Not sure what Julie's about trying to set you up with him."

Reese shook her head. "Maybe she sees something we don't."

"Or maybe she doesn't see something we do," Sarah muttered.

Silence fell on the group again. They remained in silence for several minutes before a group of male Futurians entered the pool on the other side of the screen, disrupting their privacy. Sarah sighed and stretched. "I guess that's my cue. I need to get to bed," she said. "Are you three staying here for a bit?"

"I'm heading out too," said Reese. Michelle and Janine stood up as they all pulled on robes and headed into the hallway leading to their rooms.

"See you all tomorrow?" Janine asked. Sarah and Michelle nodded.

"Not me," Reese said. "I'm on laundry duty, but I might run into you at breakfast."

"Okay, night," Janine said, hugging everyone before going to her room. They all exchanged goodnights. Reese was smiling as she let herself into her room. She'd enjoyed spending her evening with her women, despite having to manage her reaction to the discussion about the dwarves, and she was feeling grounded and refreshed. She mentally added spending time with friends to her list of ways to get through the next three weeks.

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><p><strong>AN: Thank you everyone for your reviews, follows, and favourites. The next chapter is a bit hard for me to write because I have some things I want to happen that I'm finding a bit complicated to map out. Please bear with me if it takes me a bit longer to get it up. I have the chapters after the next one written, but it's just this bridge that is tricky. I'm also starting a new job next week, which is freaking me out, so between my complicated plot and my new job angst, I'm struggling with confidence and motivation. However, I find reviews really encouraging so drop me a line if you want to see this up more quickly. **

**I'd specifically like to know if I'm adding complexity to Reese's character in a way that is plausible. For example she's playful in chapter one but as we get to know her some dysfunction comes out. I'm doing this on purpose, and I'm curious about if it's working. Also, is Kili's character working? I spend less time on him and hope that his decisions are making sense to the reader in terms of his character.**

**Finally, if you don't mind please let me know what typos you find. My eyes started to cross after reading it over so many times, but I was impatient to update rather than let it sit again to read for typos. There's always something I miss either way :D Thx all! RP**


	11. Bad (or Good?) Timing

**A/N: I have struggled with the first half of this chapter quite a bit. We all have a few of those, and it's a work in progress :D **

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><p>Kili didn't see Reese the next morning at breakfast. As he was walking down the hall, he saw Lady Michelle and stopped to ask her about Reese. She gave him an odd look before telling him that Reese had risen very early for breakfast. Kili then hoped Reese would join them for training again but she didn't meet them then either. After lunch, Kili saw his brother sneaking off with Janine. He wasn't surprised to see them twined around each other as they found Fili's room. In the past, Kili would likely have done the same, if not sooner.<p>

Kili approached Lady Michelle after lunch, asking again if she'd seen Reese. She shook her head, giving him an even odder look than that morning. He decided to go for a walk through the castle. Along the way he passed an open door. He heard giggling inside, but his heart caught when he also heard Reese's voice. Returning to the doorway, he saw Reese in one of the Futurian's rooms. She was accompanied by Adam and Julie's 18 month old twins.

Reese was holding a bed sheet in her arms, which she was flinging up into the air so that it billowed down over the heads of the twins, who screamed with laughter and clawed the sheet away from their faces only to grin at her in anticipation. Reese repeated the action, gaining more and more laughter from the twins.

Kili laughed at their game, capturing the attention of all three. The twins became shy, clinging to Reese's legs as they eyed him warily. "What are you doing?" he asked her.

Reese cringed before forcing herself to smile at Kili. The sour expression didn't go unnoticed by him, but he chose to ignore it, thinking it likely had to do with the reason she was avoiding him. "I'm on laundry duty, so I'm trying to change the sheets in everyone's room. However, I also told Julie that I'd look after her twins to let her get some rest. Normally they aren't too much trouble, but they've gotten a lot busier since the last time I did this."

Kili nodded, looking confused. "You don't have servants for this?"

Reese shook her head. "No, we don't do that. Instead, we divide up all of the labour, and each person has their responsibilities. I'm usually on laundry and cooking, but everyone has their own skills like gardening, carpentry, you know."

Kili nodded, contemplating her words. "I didn't realize. We should be contributing during our stay here."

"Absolutely not," said Reese. "You're our guests. We are so pleased to have you and just want you to enjoy your stay." Kili watched as Reese bundled up the dirty sheets and tossed them towards the door while the twins still hung on her legs. He had to suppress a laugh as she tried to walk around the room while pulling a child along with each of her legs.

"Can I help you?" Kili asked suddenly. Reese was startled by the question.

"That's not necessary," she frowned. "I'm sure you have other things you'd like to do."

"There's nothing I'd like to do more," Kili said. He'd been searching for Reese for hours and wasn't going to let her get away now.

Kili moved to help Reese put the clean sheets on the bed while the twins started to play. They shortly became curious about Kili, peeking around the edge of the bed at him. "Is it okay if I play with them?" Kili asked Reese.

Reese held up her hands. "By all means, please!" She laughed despite herself. Kili fell to his knees around the corner of the bed. When the twins peeked out at him, he lunged playfully at them and growled, sending them shrieking across the room. The room filled with squeals of joy and excitement as the twins each took turns approaching Kili in hopes that he'd chase them.

Not missing an opportunity, Reese quickly finished making the bed, scooping up the dirty bedding and ushering the three from the room. Reese put the sheets in a cart in the hall. "Thank you," Reese said. Suddenly, each twin ran as fast as they could in opposite directions down the hall. Kili and Reese chased them down and met back at the door, each with a squealing twin under their arm. "How does she do it?" Reese gasped, unable to help keep herself from smiling at him. "She's got thirteen children and another one on the way!"

Kili shook his head. "I'd never been able to imagine having so many children. Dwarves rarely have more than two. I think my mother would have killed someone if she'd had more than us."

"I'd believe it," said Reese smiling. "Even now you two look like you're always searching for trouble." Kili chuckled.

Kili followed Reese to the next room where she continued her work while Kili chased the twins up and down the hall, growling and snarling as they squealed and screamed with laughter. Despite herself, Reese was grateful that he'd come along. She would never have gotten everything done at the rate she'd been going. With his help, Reese quickly got through all of the Futurian rooms, depositing the sheets in the laundry room. She turned to see that Kili was leaning against the wall holding a sleeping twin in each of his arms. "How did you get them to sleep at the same time?" she whispered. He shrugged, looking at her in bewilderment.

"Let's take them back to Julie. They're rooms are just around the corner." she whispered. "Do you want me to take one?"

Kili shook his head and followed her. Reese couldn't help admiring him as he effortlessly carried the twins to Julie's quartres. Kili's broadness in his shoulders made him able to cradle a twin in either arm. He looked completely comfortable carrying the children, and Reese imagined him carrying his own sleeping children snuggled into his broad chest. Her heart lurched slightly, and she groaned inwardly at the cliche of her attraction to him based on his apparent suitability as a father. She felt like she belonged in a cheap romance novel.

Julie let them into her room, eyeing Kili curiously, as Reese and Kili deposited the twins in their bed as they snuggled into each other. "My brother and I used to sleep like that," Kili said, gazing down at them briefly.

Reese smiled at him, leading him out into the hall and ignoring Julie's raised eyebrows as her eyes followed them. "I can't even imagine how cute you two must have been. How far apart are you in age?"

"Seven years," Kili said.

"And that would make you ..." Reese prompted.

"Seventy-seven years old."

"Hmm," Reese nodded, thinking of the difference between humans and dwarves in aging. "So how did you get to be so good with kids?"

Kili laughed, "I don't know. I haven't spent a lot of time with children. It's probably because I'm still a big child." He grinned at her cheekily, and she couldn't help laughing.

Reese knew she should end this conversation, but she was reluctant to move away from him. "Thank you so much for your help. I would never have gotten everything done." Reese hoped Kili would interpret her thanks as a sign that he should leave her alone.

"Are you finished now?" Kili asked, suddenly serious.

"Yes," said Reese, pausing.

"Good," Kili said, surprising Reese as he reached for her arm. "Let's go." Holding her arm firmly, he began to guide her down the corridor.

Reese panicked as she tried to pull her arm away. He didn't release her. She wanted to protest, but his serious demeanor and firm grip on her arm made gave her pause.

Kili lead her towards the entrance of the castle. "Where are we going?" Reese finally asked.

"Into the forest. I need to speak to you in privacy, and there is too much risk of interruption in the castle it seems."

They didn't speak again as he lead her across the bridge, not stopping until they were just inside the edge of the trees, the forest full of red orange light from the setting sun. Turning to Reese, Kili finally spoke. "Why have you been avoiding me?" he demanded, his normally warm chocolate eyes hurt as they held hers.

Reese opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off. "Don't tell me you haven't been. I'm no fool." She was stunned by his intensity. While she had been avoiding him, she was confused as to why it warranted this type of reaction from him.

Reese stared at him for a moment before breaking their gaze. She swallowed as she looked away, becoming aware of how close he was standing to her. Kili stood looking down at her. He'd seen something momentarily flash in her eyes before she'd looked away, making him decide what to do next. He lifted his hand to her face, tucking a finger under her chin as he turned her face to his again, forcing her to look up at him. He was close enough that he could see the gold flecks in her eyes. "Why have you been avoiding me?" he asked again, only this time his voice was low, almost a whisper. They stood like this for a moment, and he saw the answer in her gaze.

Hesitatingly briefly, Kili drew his arm around Reese's waist, pulling her to him. She didn't stop him. He slowly dipped his head to gently brush her lips with his. Kili paused to see if she was going to move away before brushing her lips again. This time he lingered and pressed more firmly against her lips. Just when he thought she wasn't going to return his kiss, Reese sighed and relaxed into his embrace.

At first their kiss was sweet, careful, and tender. Reese brought her hand to his face, stroking the stubble on his cheek, making Kili's draw his breath in sharply. She had forgotten how sensitive dwarves were to having their beards touched. She brought her other hand up and twined her arms around his neck, pressing her body into his as she tangled her hands in his hair.

Kili groaned and wrapped his arms around her tightly. She gasped at his increase in intensity and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue against hers. Reese felt her resistance break inside of her like a dam, allowing her carefully controlled desire to rush free from its confines. She drank him in hungrily, putting all of her yearning into this kiss. She tightened her hold on his hair and ravaged his mouth, taking what she desired from him. His kiss became hard and demanding, making her body ache with even greater need.

Kili dropped his hands to Reese's hips before stroking them up her abdomen. This innocent movement made something snap in Reese. She pulled back with a gasp as they separated. "No!" she said. She put her hands against his chest, pushing ineffectually against his broad chest. "No," she repeated shaking her head.

Kili didn't drop his arms until she pushed against him again, clearly wishing to be free. "I don't understand," he said, an angry tone creeping into his voice. Reese winced at his sudden harshness. Had she pushed him to this place? She hadn't meant to. "Why?" he asked. Reese shook her head pulling out of his embrace. "I want to know why," he demanded, his tone harsh. "Why do I see longing in your eyes? You kiss me thus, but push me away?"

Reese looked at him angrily now. This was becoming a pattern, her anger with him. "I'm not obligated to give you an explanation," she snapped, immediately regretting her tone.

She saw pain cross his face at her angry words. However, instead of lashing out at her he took a steadying breath and tried again. "I know you don't, but please, I only want to understand," he reached for her. "I only want to show you how much I cherish you."

His words weren't what she expected, expecting instead declarations of lust and desire. "Cherish me?" she echoed.

He nodded as he took her hand in his , and she saw more than desire in his eyes. She allowed him to pull her into his arms again. "Yes, I want to treasure you, to hold you close, to worship you." Reese was stunned. She hadn't considered that Kili may return her affection. She'd realized he desired her, but she hadn't thought that his feelings may run deeper.

She let him draw her back to him, his lips claiming hers again. "No," she gasped again, pulling away. Nothing was changed at all. If anything, matters might be worse than she feared.

Kili growled in frustration. Even the most placid dwarf's temper could be tried. "Why?" he asked again.

Reese backed away from him regret written on her face shaking her head as she slipped away. Without a word she turned and walked back to the castle, not stopping to look back. As the distance grew between them she began to run unable to get away from him quickly enough. She entered the castle gate and stopped.

Looking behind her Kili was not to be seen. She quickly turned to go towards her quarters and walked straight into Borgia. "Oomph," Reese said as she bounced off his small but wiry frame. Borgia looked at her, taking in her expression, and furrowed a brow at her as though to ask what was wrong. Reese shook her head, frustration painted on her face as tears welled in her eyes. He looked behind her for the source of her distress before looking at her again questioningly. Reese shook her head again but Borgia wasn't accepting her denial. Taking her arm he led her into the privacy of the stables where he worked. He looked at her silently, waiting. Reese sighed.

Reese told him everything that had occurred over the past three days. Borgia smirked at her stupidity in the forest when Kili had found her unarmed and unclothed. Borgia would never be caught in such a compromising situation. Reese finished her story after recounting the events that had lead her to run into Borgia in the courtyard. They stood without speaking, the sounds of the ponies and horses around them, and she waited.

Borgia appeared thoughtful. "You're being a fool," he said.

"I know!" Reese cried. "I've been so stupid to let it get this far!"

"Not what I meant," Borgia said.

Reese turned to look at him. "What?" she asked, confused.

Borgia glanced at her and shrugged, moving away to feed the horses. Reese sat staring at his back. "Do you think I'm being a fool for denying this?" she called. Borgia shrugged again as he entered one of the stalls with a bag of meal.

Reese stood in stunned silence. "So what are you saying?" she asked finally. "That I should go to him and tell him that I want to be with him? Let this happen rather than stop fighting it?"

Borgia murmured to one of the horses.

"Why would I do that?" Reese asked. "Why would I put myself in that situation?"

Borgia came out and picked up a pitchfork before going back into the stall.

Reese continued. "So you think I should stop being so defensive and stop shutting people out?" Reese asked. "Because I don't think I shut people out. I just don't want to put myself in a situation where I get hurt, you know?" She sat, biting her lip.

"Besides," Reese called again, "You're one to talk. It's not like I see you putting yourself out there. I know everyone is different and that your situation is different from mine, but I don't think you can argue that I have the right to decide what's best for me."

Borgia banged around in the stall, murmuring to the horse again before coming out and going into the next stall.

Reese crossed her arms, frustrated with his apparent opinion of her situation. "So what exactly are your thoughts here? Is it that you think I'm not living life fully or some hippy dippy crap like that? Is it one of those things where I'm supposed to accept my past knowing it could happen again but realize that I'm denying myself a full and meaningful life because I won't let myself be with the person I love because it scares me?" More banging and murmuring came from the second stall.

"Well, I don't share your point of view. You wouldn't tell me to put myself in the path of an orc pack who would kill me, so how is this different? I know how this is likely to end up, with one of us hurt and dying and in pain. And I know that you're going to say, that I wouldn't tell one of my friends to avoid love because of the possibility of being hurt, but I'm allowed to be a hypocrite if I want to, Borgia."

The conversation finished, Reese chewed her lip thoughtfully. Maybe she was being a fool, but she would rather be a safe fool than a fool in love. She went to help Borgia finish with the horses. They worked side by side in silence as the sky darkened outside before going into the castle together for a late supper.

Kili had stood in the forest watching Reese run from him. He felt angry and hurt. Reese clearly wanted him. He hadn't expected her to respond to his kiss the way she had. He had only wanted to talk to her, to try to understand why she was so determined to stay away from him. Something was stopping her from letting herself give into that desire. Thorin had warned him she might be reluctant, but Kili hadn't expected her to be so resistant to her feelings.

Kili was preoccupied during supper. He was starting to see wisdom in his uncle's warning that Reese was a complicated woman and might not be able to return Kili's feelings for her. He wondered if he should stop his pursuit of Reese. It was true that he loved her, the kind of love that burns for an eternity. But he knew that he couldn't force her to love him back. She had made it clear that despite her desires that she didn't want to have any contact with him. She'd been avoiding him for days, had become angry at him every time they were together, and had run as quickly as she could away from him in the forest today. What more evidence did he need that despite her attraction to him that she had no wish to be with him?

It wasn't uncommon for dwarves not to marry. Because there were so few female dwarves, most male dwarves remained alone for their lives. Kili knew he could do the same if his love for Reese was unrequited. His uncle may require for him to enter into an arranged marriage, which Kili had always known might happen if he did not find a partner on his own. Despite his recklessness, Kili wasn't one to avoid his duty when the time came, which included knowing one day he would be required to marry. Although he wasn't the direct heir to the throne, it was important even for second heir to do what he could to carry on the line of Durin.

Until he had met Reese, he and his brother had gone through life without a care for love. They worked hard and they bedded harder. They were always looking for enjoyment, some would say always looking for trouble, and they didn't care much where they found it. Dwarf, human, female, male. Dwarves were known for their insatiable nature, and Kili was no exception. This had all changed when he'd met Reese, but he knew that he could easily return to his previous ways.

Kili looked across the room at a particularly attractive Futurian woman who was eyeing him and blushed as his gaze caught hers. Maybe he should start right now. There wasn't a lack of willing partners, and maybe he needed to simply move forward and do his best to forget about Reese. His uncle probably wouldn't mind and would likely be glad that they could continue on their quest if their reason for delaying became unnecessary.

Kili sighed as he glanced around the table. His brother was occupied with Janine, and a new Futurian woman he hadn't met yet sat on the other side of Fili, leaning close to him to smile at Janine. The three were deeply engaged in conversation. Fili looked up and grinned at his younger brother, who raised his eyebrows at Fili. His brother was absolutely enjoying his time at the Futurian castle, and perhaps Kili should do the same. Kili glanced around the table and was surprised to see Lady Michelle deep in conversation with Bofur. It appeared even Bofur was enjoying his stay at Adelaide.

"You seem to be deep in thought," a voice said beside him.

Kili looked at Sarah, who appeared to have been watching him. "Long day. The heat with the training can be exhausting," he lied, hoping Sarah was unaware of how well dwarves handled the heat.

"You may need to do something to help you rest," she said suggestively.

Kili examined her features. He hadn't paid very much attention to her before. She was beautiful with dark skin and exotically slanted eyes. Her hair fell becomingly around her face. She was wearing a loose dress that fell to her knees. The cut of the neckline awarded him with glimpses of her breasts, which he thought was likely intentional on her part. Had he been himself the last few days, he would have bedded her the first day they'd met. "I think you may be right, Lady Sarah," Kili agreed, smiling warmly at her.

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><p>Reese woke early the next day. She'd only had a few hours of sleep, but she felt impatient to start the day. She quickly bathed in the bathhouse, the only person awake at this hour, before returning to her room and dressing in a long yellow loose dress. It was going to be another hot day, and the loose material would help to keep her cool. She wrapped a shawl around her shoulders as the morning was still chilly in the castle. She was grateful that although the summer days were hot that the mornings in the valley were cool and fresh.<p>

Reese had been up most of the night thinking about her conversations with Borgia. Although she'd originally resisted his suggestion, she admitted to herself that she was starting to second guess her resolve to never again marry or have a family. She'd seen several Futurians move forward with their lives, and Reese knew their losses were as great as hers. Why was she so special?

Reese scrutinized what Kili had said to her in the forest, turning the word "cherish" over in her mind. The way he'd looked at her was burned into her memory. Reese was starting to think that Kili could love her as well. She told herself it didn't matter that he might love her, but she knew it mattered. She knew that the longing in her soul for him was becoming louder than her fear.

She'd finally drifted off to gain a couple hours sleep, but the idea had still been there when she'd awoken. She decided she need to talk to Kili, unsure what she was going to say but hoping the words would come to her at the time. She knew she should apologize for running away from him as she had the day before. Glancing in the mirror, she took in her appearance. The yellow dress made her look soft and feminine, flowing around her body and clinging to her breasts and hips delicately.

Leaving her quartres, Reese turned towards Kili's door just down the hall from hers and smiled as she raised her hand to knock. Reese froze when she heard voices coming from Kili's room, one male and one female. She looked around to make sure she was at the right room, sure she was at Kili's door. Listening more closely, she heard the voices again. Kili's beautiful voice was unmistakable, and the other voice was definitely female. It was definitely a female voice, and it was definitely moving towards Kili's door!

Reese panicked, looking for a place to hide. Hearing a door open behind her, she turned to see Bilbo exiting the room across from Kili's. Not wasting a moment, Reese pushed the hobbit back into his room, quietly shushing his surprised protests as she quietly shut the door behind them, leaving it open barely a crack.

"Lady Reese," Biblo began, but Reese shushed him again. He made a disgruntled noise as he crossed the room and sat down on his bed. Reese waited by the door, her eye pressed to the tiny crack giving her a clear view of the hallway.

Kili's door opened, and the woman's voice became louder. Reese's heart dropped as she saw Sarah leaving Kili's room. Their talk was friendly, and they were laughing. Reese felt even worse when she saw that Kili wore only his trousers. He held his tunic in his hand and was slowly pulling it on as he stood talking to Sarah. She heard Sarah say, "See you later," before walking down the hall as Kili closed the door after her.

Reese turned, shutting the door completely, and rested her head against the door, breathing deeply with her eyes closed. After a moment, she heard a throat clear across the room. She'd forgotten about the hobbit.

"Are you quite alright, Lady Reese?" he asked politely.

Reese looked at him. He face flushed with shame at her behaviour. Straightening her posture, she attempted to convey whatever composure she could muster. "Mr. Baggins, thank you for your politeness. I'm aware of how kind the people of the shire can be, but there is no need for you to pretend that you are not well aware that everything is not alright, considering that I forced you into your room, barged in after you without a word, and held you hostage while I spied on your neighbour across the hall."

Bilbo nodded. "I didn't want to intrude," he said.

"But it is I who has intruded, Mr. Baggins. I'm terribly sorry for invading on your privacy this way. I'll take my leave." Reese left the room quickly and shut the door behind her.

Reese didn't realize what excellent hearing hobbits had. Bilbo was completely aware of what Reese had seen in the hallway. He hadn't wanted to interfere or be impolite by prying. However it was plain, even to a hobbit, that she had been pained by what she'd witnessed.


	12. Hangover

Reese's anger built as she returned to her room. Shutting the door behind her she reached for a pillow on one of her chairs and threw it. She looked despondently at where it landed, finding it hardly satisfying to throw a soft object slowly through the air when in a rage. She sighed. It wasn't in her nature to be violent as it was.

Moving to her bedroom, Reese stood staring at herself in the mirror. She felt like a fool, and she looked like one. What had she expected exactly? It was obvious that Kili and Fili were popular with women. They probably had a different woman in their bed every night. He really was irresistible. Gorgeous and kind, she could see how no woman stood a chance if he turned his attention to her.

She thought about their kiss and the things he'd said. She was angry at herself for thinking that he was speaking from his heart. She should have known better, should have known that it was his dick doing the talking. Hell, if she weren't so infatuated with him, she'd probably have been first in line to jump into his bed.

Reese tried to convince herself she wasn't angry with Kili, only with herself, but she knew it was a lie. Some of the blame lay with him as well. She felt he'd gone too far with the things he'd said in the forest, speaking of cherishing and treasuring her. Had it all been an act just to get her into bed? She was angry with him because he was playing on her emotions and treating her like a naive fool of a woman who needed to be tricked into bed.

Reese felt like she'd lost herself over the past few days. She'd been acting like a young, love sick girl. She missed the person she'd been five days ago, confident, playful, strong. Instead she was angry, jealous, and hurt. Seeing Sarah leave Kili's room had felt like being slapped. She was mortified but also was grateful. She had been saved an embarrassing encounter. She didn't have time for these sorts of games, and this was exactly what she'd needed, the emotional equivalent of a good firm kick in the ass.

Reese strode to her closet, throwing the shawl to the floor and pulling off the silly feminine yellow dress. Wrenching the doors open, she looked at her clothes. She pulled on her leather boots, green linen shorts, and a brown sleeveless linen blouse.

Looking in the mirror she saw a woman who looked strong and independent. Reese squared her shoulders, approving of what she saw. At the last minute, she tucked a dagger into her waistband. She needed something to armour herself, even if just metaphorically. She glared at her reflection, chastising herself for her stupidity.

Reese rested her hand on her dresser, drumming her fingers thoughtfully. She felt as though she needed to do something outrageous to shake off the last few days. She felt like she needed a to get laid. The tension with Kili left her in a painful state of arousal. She still didn't want to bed any of the Futurian men, which only left dwarves. Suddenly a thought floated up in her mind. Thorin. He was returning to Adelaide the next day. She glared at herself in the mirror. Yes, Thorin was the perfect solution to this problem.

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><p>Reese groaned in protest as her bed jostled, waking her but making her stomach churn precariously. "Stop moving," she moaned.<p>

"So this is the state I find you in after leaving you in the care of my idiot nephew?" The velvety low voice felt like screeching nails on a chalkboard. Reese was surprised by the presence the voice's owner but couldn't help wincing as he spoke.

"Quieter please," she mumbled, trying unsuccessfully to pull a pillow over her head. She was unsuccessful because any movement made the room spin and tilt, and she wasn't sure about being able to keep herself from vomiting. Instead she just shut her eyes and prayed for the noise and movement to stop, holding up a hand indicating Thorin should stop talking and be still. Even the deep rumble of his laugh hurt her ears.

"Stop, please," Reese begged, her voice barely a whisper.

Thorin remained silent as Reese drew a slow breath. After a moment she whispered, "What time is it?"

"It's 8 o'clock in the evening," Thorin responded. Reese groaned again. "I thought it wise to rouse you as I understand you've been sleeping all day."

Reese wasn't sure how rousing someone in her condition could be considered wise, but Thorin always did as he pleased and this seemed to be no exception. "I've ordered you a bath, so it's time for you to get up. It'll make you feel better, and you need water and food if you can stomach it."

When Reese retched as he mentioned eating, Thorin chuckled, "Apparently not."

Reese rolled to face him, careful to move slowly so that the room didn't spin too horribly, and opened her eyes a slit. Although the light in her room was dim, she gasped, feeling as though her head had been stabbed. She closed her eyes and took a breath before trying again. She finally settled for squinting one eye at him, which she shielded from the light with her hand. "When did you get back?" she croaked, her voice hoarse. Thorin was stretched across her bed, leaning lazily against the headboard.

"A few hours ago," Thorin said.

"Mmm," Reese mumbled, draping her arm over her eyes. She felt something on her head. Grasping it, she pulled off a fur lined leather hat. She stared at it for a moment, trying to understand what it was. "Is this Bofur's hat?" she asked.

"I believe so. It completes the ensemble nicely," Thorin smiled down at her.

"Ensemble?" Reese whispered confusedly. Looking down she saw she was wearing a leather vest layered over a bulky brown coat, belted at the waist over leather pants that were much to large for her. Wiggling her toes, she felt her feet swimming in what she assumed was a huge pair of dwarven boots. "What?" she squeaked. "Why am I wearing Bofur's clothes?" Looking at Thorin she whispered in terror, "Did I sleep with Bofur?"

"I think if you'd slept with Bofur you'd find yourself in a different state than waking up fully dressed, even if they aren't your clothes." Thorin smiled. "My understanding is that Bofur lost a game of what you Futurians call 'strip poker' to you and that you thought Lady Michelle would find it helpful if Bofur didn't get his clothes back."

Reese gasped, instantly regretting the sharp sound. "Michelle! Did I tell everyone about her crush on Bofur?"

Thorin just looked at her. Reese groaned and closed her eyes, trying to bury her head in the bed. "Nooo, she's going to kill me."

"Possibly, but she and Bofur seemed very cozy at supper this evening, so despite your unusual methods it appears that your plan may have worked."

Reese looked at him sharply. "They got together?" she asked eagerly.

Thorin nodded, "So it seems. Although it's by far not the most interesting event that seems to have taken place since I left four days ago."

Reese grimaced. "You've been updated then?"

"I have," Thorin nodded, looking at her grimly. "I've spent the last two hours with my nephews and company, who've told me everything that has transpired since my departure for Rivendell." Thorin looked irritated thinking about his conversation with his nephews.

"I'm sure they have," Reese grumbled, trying to sit up but finding herself encumbered by the overly large and heavy leather garments. She shut her eyes as her stomach lurched again at the movement.

"Let me help you," said Thorin. Moving to his feet, he began by pulling off the boots. "I'm sure Bofur will be glad to have these back. He was barefoot when I last saw him."

Reese quirked a smile at this as Thorin pulled the pants off her legs. He smirked at her suddenly. "I'm not used to undressing you in these circumstances."

Reese laughed carefully and shook her head. "Just don't jostle me too much or I might be sick," she said, lying back on the bed and letting Thorin remove Bofur's clothing. She found she was wearing her shorts and blouse underneath.

"What was I thinking?" she muttered. "I must have been roasting all day in all of these layers."

"I don't think anyone who drinks that much ale can be accused of thinking," said Thorin. "Off with these too," he said, moving to unbutton her blouse.

Reese hunched away from him, gripping the front of her blouse and looking at him reproachfully. Thorin glared at her in irritation. "Not for that. Your bath is ready, and you might enjoy it more if you aren't wearing clothing." Reese didn't move and he rolled his eyes. "Reese, it's not as though I haven't seen you naked hundreds of times. Hurry up, the bath is getting cold."

Reese grumbled and fumbled with the buttons of her blouse. Her hands felt like they were ten times their normal size. Sighing in exasperation, Thorin pushed her hands aside and quickly unbuttoned her blouse, pulling shorts and underwear from her body. "Here," he said, tucking her robe around her shoulders and pulling it closed for her. Now that she was sitting, Thorin handed her a glass of water, which Reese took gratefully. She sipped it, careful not to drink it too quickly so as not to disturb her stomach, and relished the feeling of the cool liquid washing out the insides of her mouth.

"Now come on." Holding her hands, Thorin slowly pulled Reese to her feet. She swayed on the spot when she stood, closing her eyes as she felt bile rise up in her throat. Thorin waited, holding her steady as she breathed deeply, until she opened her eyes and nodded. He led her out of her bedroom, through her main room, to the adjoining bathroom. The large tub was filled with hot water giving off steam as cool air from the large open window blew across the hot water.

Pulling her robe from her, Thorin helped Reese lower into the tub. The water felt good on her skin, and she sank gratefully into the tub as the water reached up to her neck. "Stay here," Thorin said, growling the unnecessary command. He left the bathroom as she sank back against the edge, allowing her hungover body to relax into the healing water.

Closing her eyes, Reese tried to remember the events of the previous evening. She'd managed to avoid Kili for the rest of the day, becoming more angry as the day wore on. After supper, there had been an impromptu bachelor and bachelorette party for the couple getting married. Reese remembered playing a drinking game with Bombur, after which most of the evening was a blur. Snippets of memories came back to her as she soaked in the water, including having her dagger confiscated by Adam when she initiated a knife throwing contest and telling Fili that his brother was a dirty man-whore. She hadn't had that much to drink in decades, and now she remembered why.

Thorin returned to the bathroom carrying Reese's slippers and a white nightgown. "Thank you, Thorin," said Reese, looking up at him.

He smiled at her and handed her the glass of water again. "It's the least I could do after what those fools I call my heirs have done to you."

Reese took a sip of water before she closed her eyes and rested her head against the side of the tub. "I believe that I did most of this to myself."

She opened her eyes and saw Thorin holding a washcloth and pulling a chair behind her. "Lean forward," he said.

Reese hesitated. "Please," he said.

She slowly leaned forward and heard his hand dip in the water before sponging hot water onto her back. Drawing her knees up, she rested her head against them while Thorin carefully washed her back. "Tell me everything," he said. Reese noted the commanding tone in his voice.

"I thought you were already informed," she said.

"I have, but I want to hear your version of the events," Thorin stated.

Reese sighed wondering why she felt like she was in a principal's office. "I'd really rather not," she said. Thorin didn't respond, waiting in silence. After a moment, Reese began to tell her story. She felt she'd been doing this a lot lately, having to start from the beginning every time a new event happened and someone else found her in a state of chaos, which was happening a lot more often than she liked.

Reese told Thorin about her feelings for Kili from the moment she saw him. "And don't pretend you didn't know," she growled at him. She went on to tell him about the night in the kitchen, practicing archery the next day, the forest pool, and the kiss. She paused before telling Thorin about standing at Kili's door and hiding in Bilbo's room when she heard Sarah leaving the room.

"Yes, I've heard of the _hobbit's_ involvement," Thorin said in irritation as though Bilbo had personally caused the events that had transpired.

"Thorin," Reese said in a warning tone, not wanting to slander Bilbo unjustly. They fell into silence as he pulled her back against the tub, helping her lie low in the water so that he could tilt her head back to scoop warm water over her hair.

Reese stretched her legs and examined her toes resting at the other end of the tub. "Where did you go?" she asked. "Since I last saw you in Exetor, where did you go?"

Thorin sat in thoughtful silence. "Traveling. Looking for my father. And then gathering support for this quest."

Reese nodded. "Something's different about you."

"What do you mean?"

"You've changed. You seem older, more ... royal. You're acting more like a king."

Thorin didn't respond.

"It probably doesn't help with all the majestic posing you do." Reese held her arms out in a mock kingly pose and said in a low voice. "I am Thorin Oakenshield and I will stand here and I have deemed you worthy of observing me in my majesticness."

Thorin snorted and dunked her head under the water. Reese came up sputtering. "Hey, hungover person here. I thought you were taking care of me." Even though she was joking, her stomach heaved at the sudden movement. She groaned and held her hand to her head.

"Whatever possessed you to have a drinking contest with a dwarf?" Thorin asked. "You didn't learn your lesson the last time?"

They both laughed, thinking of a night in Exetor when Reese and Adam had challenged Thorin to a drinking contest and had lost miserably.

"Alright, time to get out," Thorin said. He helped Reese stand up and wrapped her in a towel as she stepped from the tub.

When she was dry, Thorin brought her nightgown and pulled it over her head. It was a white long sleeved one that was soft against her skin. He helped her with her slippers and housecoat before putting the glass of water back in her hand and leading her back to her bedroom. Reese obediently sipped her water as they crossed the living room. When they reached the bedroom door, she saw that Thorin had made the bed for her and opened the window so that her room was fresh and clean with no evidence of the chaos of the night before. "Oh, thank you Thorin. This is so much better." She leaned into him, and he pulled her into a half hug.

Leading her to the bed, Thorin helped her remove her robe and pulled back the covers of the bed, ushering her between the sheets and tucking them snuggly around her. He propped her up against the headboard with pillows. "I don't deserve you," Reese said, smiling at him. He just laughed.

"Are you sure I can't get you anything to eat? Maybe some bread?" Reese shook her head, the thought of food repulsive to her.

Thorin nodded and pulled a chair up to the side of the bed to sit down. "Alright, it's my turn to talk." Reese furrowed her brow, wondering what he was to say, but he didn't keep her waiting. "Kili didn't bed Sarah," Thorin said, looking at her seriously.

Reese opened her mouth to argue, but he held up his hands to stop her. "Please, just listen for now." Reese closed her mouth and waited.

"I know how it looks," he continued. "And before I left I warned the fool to be careful of leading her on if he was serious about his feelings for you." Reese eyebrows raised but she didn't interrupt.

"I realize I haven't been here to witness a lot of the things that have happened, but based on what I learned tonight from my nephews, the _hobbit_," he snarled again, "and my company, I believe there has been a horrible misunderstanding." He saw incomprehension on her face and sighed. "I think I need to back up to start at the beginning."

"I knew of Kili's feelings for you almost the moment he met you. I'll never forget how stupid he was, standing before you babbling about smelling like troll. He'd always been charming, and to see him at such a loss for words was truly something to behold. Shortly after, I realized that you shared his feelings. We speak of it often, among dwarves, when we meet the one Mahal has meant for us, and everything changes.

"That night, I warned Kili that you had had a difficult past that might prevent you from returning his ... affection." Thorin intentionally avoided using the word love, scared it would frighten her away from the conversation. "The next day, he came to me begging to stay on at Adelaide for as long as possible so that he would have a chance to spend time with you and possibly win you, and I agreed that we could stay here for three weeks."

Reese glared at him, remembering how annoyed she was that she had to tolerate Kili's presence for three weeks. "That morning, Lady Sarah began to show her interest in Kili, and I told Kili he needed to make sure there weren't any misunderstandings. Kili is too charming and good looking for his own good. He and his brother are so used to the sport of bedding women that they don't know how to be around women without suggesting their intentions are more than what they are."

Reese arched a brow at Thorin. "Is this supposed to be helpful?"

Thorin cleared his throat, "Well, I can see how that would be unhelpful, but I believe he's learned his lesson, which is what I want you to understand." He continued, "The rest of the story I've only heard through others, but I believe what I've learnt to be the truth. Kili claims he showed no interest in Sarah until after you ran away from him in the forest when he kissed you. I believe this to be true and that until that point he thought he was only being friendly. He tells me that he had given up hope of your ever returning his affection. As I'm sure you're aware, Lady Sarah was there, and Kili being the ... "

"Man-whore?" Reese supplied.

Thorin grimaced at the word but nodded. "Dwarf-whore is of course more accurate. Being the way he is, with his impulsive nature, made advances towards her."

He looked at her and she raised her hands slightly. "Where are you going with this, Thorin? I think you may have lost your point."

Thorin nodded and continued. "Well, my understanding was that Kili and Lady Sarah were about to leave for his chambers, after apparently making quite a display, and it was at this point that Fili intervened, which he should have done long before. He says he pulled Kili aside to find out what Kili's intentions were. Learning of what had transpired between you and Kili earlier that day, Fili insisted Kili abandon his plan to bed Lady Sarah. I believe there was a bit of a scuffle, but in the end Fili succeeded in making excuses to Lady Sarah, something about Kili's being too drunk and needing to go to bed, and escorted Kili to his quarters, alone.

"However, Kili woke the next day to find Lady Sarah in his bed, both naked. She told him she'd let herself into his room, hoping he was feeling better after being able to sleep off the drink from the night before. Kili realized he had made a grave error and explained to Lady Sarah the situation that had lead to his inappropriate behavior towards her. I believe she was very understanding and graceful, far more than he deserved, and that she was also pleased to hear of what has transpired between you and Kili. She said something about your becoming a 'bitter old maid' I believe."

Reese rolled her eyes but said nothing.

"It was at this point that the hobbit's story becomes relevant, for I understand that you witnessed Lady Sarah leaving Kili's room. Kili tells me that to make matters worse he was not wearing a tunic as he bade Lady Sarah good bye. I can only imagine how this would have looked to you."

Reese nodded at him as he continued.

"It would have been my wish that the _hobbit _would have been more forthcoming with his information," Thorin snarled.

"His name is Bilbo, Thorin," Reese corrected flatly.

"_Master Baggin_s," Thorin growled, as though he doubted that was Bilbo's real name, "could have chosen to inform Kili of what you witnessed, but it seems he chose not to do so until a few hours ago when I was seated with my company and heard of your behavior the night before."

Reese shook her head. "I imagine that Bilbo thought it was not anyone's business, for which I am grateful," she said simply.

Thorin glowered at her briefly. "Nonetheless, upon my return I supped with my company, who were all in rather sober moods, and learned of the events of the past few days. It was as the company related the events of the previous morning that _Master Baggins _provided his version of events. The company appeared to think this piece of information explained some of your behaviour, particularly your apparent determination to drink excessively, and the time you told Fili that his brother was a 'dirty mother fucking slut.'"

Reese gasped, "Oh I didn't! Oh poor Fili."

Thorin smiled at her. "Dwalin found it quite entertaining, telling Kili he'd always said his dick would get him in trouble sooner or later."

They both laughed at this. Reese sighed as their laughter died. She had curled up on her side in a nest she'd made of the pillows, her cheek resting on her arm, her empty water glass in her other hand. "Well that explains a lot," she said.

Thorin rose to get her more water, pushing it towards her to drink. "Knowing what you do now, won't you give him another chance?" Thorin asked as he returned to his chair.

"No," Reese didn't even have to consider her answer. "No, Thorin. It's not about chances. I'm not punishing him. It's a good thing that this all happened. Things were fine the way they were before. Yes, maybe I'm missing something important in life, but I was happy with how things were before. I have my work, which I love. My friends. You." She looked at him as she said this. "What you and I has was perfect. It was just what I needed , nothing more or less. My instincts told me it was unwise to enter into a relationship with Kili, and I should have listened to them. Now that I know the real reason for your staying for three weeks, I can give you leave to go, which will remove my temptation. I'm sure your quest is urging you to go quickly. And while I'll be sad to see you go it's for the best. Surely you see that too."

"I don't see how a young woman can remove herself from the world in this way."

"Why not? You do it!" Reese was feeling irritated.

"It's not the same," Thorin growled.

"Isn't it? That's how you and I work, Thorin. We get each other, accept each other, and know each other's limitations. How would you react if I asked the same of you?" Reese demanded.

Thorin crossed his arms over his broad chest and glared at her. Reese sighed, willing herself to sound calm and reasonable.

"There's too much risk, Thorin. There is too much to lose. You must see that!"

Reese paused, taking a breath before continuing. "Not a day goes by when I don't see them, Scott and my babies, and yearn for them." Reese swallowed, feeling a ball forming in her throat, but she continued. She was determined to make him understand. "I think about them everyday, Thorin. The sound of my children's laughter was like nothing else in the world, more beautiful than chimes in the wind, more joyful. Gazing upon their faces as they slept in my arms, noticing how peaceful and divine they looked, marvelling at how I was lucky enough to be sent angels to love."

Her voice caught and she looked at Thorin with tears in her eyes. "Nursing them at my breast, gazing at their faces for hours, memorizing each feature. Even though it's been sixteen years, when I close my eyes I see them as though they are here with me now. Then, I see their poor fragile, broken bodies, Thorin. I see myself holding them as the last breath of life left them, unable to do anything to help them, to protect them, to stop them from dying. All I could do was hold them and watch them die. Then, to look at their father, my husband, my partner, friend, and lover, and see the same agony on his face, as the life left his eyes as well."

Reese stopped for a minute, brushing tears away from her cheeks and breathing deeply to compose herself. After a moment she looked at him levelly. "Why on earth would I put myself in a situation where that could happen to me again? In this god forsaken place where orcs and wargs and god knows what else roam the countryside, killing and raping and burning and pillaging? Do you know how irresponsible it would be for me to have a husband and children here? Where dragons destroy entire communities in the blink of an eye? Can you even guarantee that Kili and Fili are going to survive this quest?"

Reese knew she'd hit home finally, seeing something dark pass over his face. She hadn't told him anything he didn't already know about her, but she needed him to remember what it was like to lose everything and the need to make sure that never happened again.

After a few minutes, Thorin said, "You have lost so much. But should you lose more by denying yourself the chance to love again? To be loved?" She shook her head and rested her face in her hands, breathing deeply.

"Kili is pure, Thorin. You and I both know that. You've protected him from pain his entire life. He's never known anything like we have. I would never want to bring that much sadness and pain to him. He is a prince and needs children. I would never be able to …."

"I wish you would only try," he said. "I want to see you happy as much as I want to see him happy. You seem to think that you are being smart and making the best decision for everyone by remaining cool and detached, but that's not the purpose of life, Reese. That's not why Mahal put us here."

"You know I don't believe in that," she said. "And you need to think of your nephew. I am not the right woman for him."

"I think Kili and I both disagree with you."

For a minute she allowed herself again to imagine the possibility of another future with a man she loved, the man she loved. She realized it was useless to argue any further.

"Please think about it," Thorin said. She sighed and rested her head on her pillow. "You're tired, and I should let you get more rest." He stood to take his leave.

Reese reached out for his hand. "Could you stay, please?" she asked. They'd never spent the night together, always returning to their own rooms for sleep, but she felt sad and didn't wish to be alone. Thorin paused before nodding. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he removed his boots and belt, leaving his trousers and tunic on, before moving around the room to extinguish the candles. He left the window open, allowing the cool valley air to fill the room as the moonlight filtered in.

Reese felt him settle behind her and tucked the covers up around them. She scooted backwards, snuggling into his broad chest, and he draped his arm around her. Settling her head on his shoulder, she said, "Thank you, Thorin, for everything. For taking care of me, and for explaining." She felt him nod. She lay staring out the window waiting for sleep slowly overtake her.

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><p><strong>AN: Thank you everyone for your follows, favourites, and especially reviews! I never expected to receive this amount of support for my story. I remember thinking if I received one follow I'd be happy. I really worked hard on getting a few chapters ready because I'm starting a new job on Monday. I fully intend to continue with this story, but after Monday I don't know how busy I'll be or be able to update. I therefore wanted to get the story to a place that is a little bit more satisfying than the angst ridden hell that it's been at for the last few updates. **


	13. A Futurian Wedding

Reese woke the next day feeling warm and safe, the morning sun streaming in through her open window. She could smell the crisp morning air and heard a bird singing in the distance. As she slowly woke, she wondered at the warm hard body pressed against her back and then remembered Thorin had stayed the night after spending the evening nursing her hangover.

She stretched, arching her shoulders into Thorin's chest as her hips bumped against his, sighing deeply at how delicious she felt. Her hangover gone, she felt rested and peaceful. She sighed as she relaxed back into Thorin's sleeping body, only to smile as she felt something hard against her buttocks, realizing friction from her stretching had stimulated Thorin's erection. She wiggled her hips against his again and smiled as he grunted softly in his sleep, his cock hardening even more against her.

Feeling arousal of the morning building within her, Reese rolled to look at Thorin's sleeping frame. She wondered at how he hadn't woken from her movement considering he was supposed to be a hardened warrior accustomed to sleeping in the open where danger could pounce at a moment's notice. Maybe he knew while sleeping that he was safe and secure in Adelaide.

It had been a long time since she'd been able to gaze upon his features unhindered. Her eyes traveled down his face, taking in the high brow that his dark hair fell back from, streaked with silver. Beneath dark eyebrows, his eyes remained closed. She could trace the lines around his eyes that were put there by time. Glancing at his lips, she thought of the things those lips had done to her in the past and shivered. His jaw gave way to his strong neck, and she longed to lick it and see if his skin tasted as she remembered it. She indulged herself, dropping her lips to the hollow at the base of his neck and running her tongue in slow circles. He tasted better than she remembered, the salt of his skin delicious on her tongue.

Bringing her hand to his hip, she slowly stroked inward, grazing his cock through his trousers. She felt him stiffen with a sharp intake of breath and looked up into his amused blue eyes.

"Good morning," Reese said, grazing his cock again.

"I'm glad to see you're feeling better," he groaned, his lashes fluttering at her touch.

"I'm feeling much better," Reese agreed, bringing her hand up to slip beneath the hem of his tunic and graze the skin of his stomach. "Although I could feel even better," she murmured as she raised his tunic even higher, allowing her access to his chest. She dropped her mouth to his exposed nipple, tonguing it lightly. Thorin's hips bucked as he moaned at the contact.

Reese smiled as she let her hand travel down, stroking him lightly through his trousers. "It's been too long," she said. She continued to pull his tunic up. He helped her pull it over his head before tossing it to the ground, smiling lazily at her as her hands returned to his chest. He watched her as she stroked her fingers through his hair, down over his stomach, almost touching the bulge straining from his pants, before moving back up to circle his nipples, making him moan with need at being teased.

Reese pushed Thorin onto his back and rose up to straddle his hips. She was completely naked under her nightgown, which she pulled over her head and threw to the floor. Leaning forward to rest her breasts against his chest, she moved her mouth to his ear. "I want you to fuck me," she whispered, grinding down on his hard cock through his pants.

Thorin moaned, bucking his hips up towards her. She ground down again, and suddenly he rolled them both so that he was above her between her legs. He dropped his head to capture her ear, biting it gently as he continued to rub his bulge between her legs. Reese groaned, dropping her hands to pull his hips tighter to hers. "On one condition," Thorin growled as his tongue moved down her neck.

"What's that?" Reese almost cried out as he caught her nipple between his teeth. If he kept going she was going to come before she even got his cock out of his pants.

Thorin brought his mouth up to her ear to whisper, "Kili joins us."

Reese ceased all movement, pushing her arms straight out against Thorin's shoulders to lift him off her, which was no small feat. "What?" she asked sharply, not believing what she had just heard.

"You heard me," he grinned down at her.

"I did but I was hoping I was having a temporary mental lapse brought on by stress and excessive drinking." She stared at him in disbelief.

Thorin laughed, pushing back to his knees and catching one of her feet in his hands. Bringing her toes to his mouth, he proceeded to suck them, one at a time, running his tongue on the back of her foot. The effect was erotic and also tickled, making Reese squirm. Stroking his hand up the inside of her thigh, Thorin lightly brushed between her legs, his touch teasing her lightly. She tried to grind down on his hand but he drew it away quickly, laughing. "That is my only condition," he murmured, returning his mouth to her toes.

Reese pushed him away and stood up in annoyance, striding from the bed, none of the modesty of the night before present as she stopped at her dresser to take a sip of water. She saw the herbs she took to prevent pregnancy and reached for the bottle, thinking it was a waste of time considering her current situation but knew that she didn't want to miss a dose. She looked in the mirror and saw Thorin eyeing her hungrily. He had a view of her naked backside and could also see her breasts reflected in the mirror. She put one hand on her hip as she leaned against the dresser, arching her back so that her bottom and breasts pushed out slightly. "Two can play at this game, Thorin. You clearly want me, and I'd wager I could convince you to forget your silly little proposition."

He laughed as he rose from the bed to move behind her, his blue eyes catching hers in the mirror. "I'd certainly enjoy your trying," he teased as he brought his mouth to her neck to nibble gently, raising his hand to her collar bone and lightly stroked it down over her breast and stomach, stopping a fraction of an inch before he would have touched the folds between her legs. Reese whimpered in protest as his movement stopped, feeling a slow ache building low in her belly. A laugh rumbled in his chest as he moved away and picked up his clothes. Reese had to take a moment to clear her thoughts before turning to watch him pull his boots on.

"What kind of a fucked up family dynamic would that be, anyway?" she asked in irritation. Thorin looked up at her uncomprehending, and she clarified, "Don't you think it's a bit odd for you and your _nephew_ to screw the same woman?"

Thorin shook his head and said, "Not in the least. It is often the way of dwarves, as you already know. Kili and I have shared several women."

"Not one that you're trying to get to court him though."

Thorin only crinkled his eyes at her and shrugged. "You know my terms," he said, pulling his tunic on, which was long enough to hide the pronounced bulge in his pants, and strapped his belt around his hips.

She shook her head in frustration. "Fine, go then. But don't think for a second that I'm going to give into your demands, Thorin Oakenshield. I'm not interested in complicating things further. And even more, I'm not impressed with the state you're leaving me in." Her last words were particularly angry. She walked back to her empty bed, flopping down and glaring at him.

He grinned at her, his eyes running down her body hungrily. "You're even more delicious when you're angry," he said as he moved towards the door, taking Bofur's boots and clothes with him. "I'll see you tonight then," he called as he narrowly dodged a pillow she threw at his head.

"You will not!" she snapped, rolling over and groaning in frustration as she heard the door close behind him. She was perfectly capable of bringing her own release but it was nothing compared to the pleasure she had been anticipating from the dwarf king who just exited her chambers. In fact, she got almost no relief at all as she was flooded with images of Thorin and Kili fucking her into oblivion, making her need intolerable.

* * *

><p>Reese looked herself over in the mirror. It was late afternoon, and she was just finishing dressing for the wedding that evening. She was still furious with Thorin for how he'd left her that morning. She'd been unable to manage her arousal all day, and she was sure anyone would be able to smell her need on her.<p>

Reese glanced over her reflection appraisingly and realized her painful lust was even impacting her choice of clothing for the evening. She looked like a wanton slut, although hopefully a classy wanton slut. She was wearing a simple black dress. The dress was completely open in the back, sweeping down below the top of her hips so that the crack of her bottom was nearly visible. The neckline was high and fastened with a simple tie behind her neck. All one would need to do to remove the dress would be to pull the tie, and it would fall away from her body. The dress wasn't too short, falling to her knees, but the material was cut into strips of black fabric that fluttered and flowed around her body, displaying her thighs as well. If she turned or swirled, the fabric flared out but was cut perfectly so that she remained fully covered, barely. Janine, who was an accomplished seamstress, had helped her make the dress, although Reese had never had occasion to wear it. Whenever there was a wedding, she always ended up changing at the last minute into something else.

Reese sighed, wondering again if she should put on a different dress. She had tried on several more conservative outfits but always ended up tearing them off in frustration and returning to the black dress. She took small comfort in knowing that she would still be more conservatively dressed than many of the other women at the party. Futurians took particular enjoyment in the hedonism of weddings, although Reese had never participated in the sexual displays, preferring instead dancing and drinking games. Although children attended the early portion of the evening, they were always sent home to bed quickly, following which the party became truly out of control.

Thinking of children, Reese reached into her closet and pulled out a black shawl, wrapping it around her body to provide a modicum of modesty. "Goddamn you Thorin Oakenshield, what have you done to me?" she muttered, glaring at herself in the mirror again. She fully intended to beat Thorin at his game, and she was sure this dress would help her.

Reese heard banging on her door and realized she was out of time. "Coming," she called and she glanced at herself once more, tousling her hair. As she moved towards the door, she cursed. Her underwear was wet again. She pulled them off and decided it might be better to go without. She'd had to change out of three pair while getting ready because of her painful state of arousal, and she hoped the air circulation would help keep things under control. She laughed at the thought. Who was she kidding? She was hoping it would be an additional way she could tantalize that oaf of a dwarf.

Reese pulled the door open to see Bofur and Michelle standing there, holding hands. The sweetness of the two of them cuddled together warmed Reese's heart. Michelle, who stood at least two heads taller than Bofur, was wearing a long sleeveless grey dress. Bofur looked happy and handsome beside her, his kind eyes smiling at Reese. "Is that what you're wearing?" Michelle asked as Reese moved to pull the door shut behind her.

Doubt entered Reese's eyes. "I should change, shouldn't I? Just wait, I'll be right back." She moved to go back into her room but Michelle stopped her.

"No, we're late. It's great. I was just surprised because it's just not how you usually dress." Reese nodded, making sure the wrap was pulled around her back.

They began to walk towards the courtyard where the ceremony was being held before moving to the dining hall. Reese glanced at Bofur, saying, "I see your clothing was returned to you, Bofur."

He laughed at her. "Aye, I never expected a lass who had drunk as much as yourself to beat me at a game of cards." Reese laughed back at him. "I'm happy to have my boots back so that I can dance, though."

"Well I hope that you find our music something you enjoy dancing to," Reese smiled.

"I'm sure I will," said Bofur as he squeezed Michelle's hand. Michelle briefly explained to Bofur what he should expect.

A particular enjoyment at weddings was the music. Every now and then, Futurians arrived in Middle Earth in a car or vehicle. These were quickly disassembled, the parts having varying uses, and often had supplies in them that Futurians missed from their previous lives. Metal, plastic, wheels, rubber, fuel. All were put to good use. Something that was a source of debate in the early days, long before Reese arrived, was what to do with the vehicle batteries. Many different purposes were proposed for them, but in the end it was decided they would be used for weddings and other special events to play music.

One of the things all Futurians missed most from their world was music. Reese never knew how much she'd taken for granted being able to have any kind of music, loud and powerful or mournful and sad, at the touch of a finger. Sometimes the silence in Middle Earth was deafening compared to the constant musical and electronic chaos of the world she'd come from. Therefore, having their own music at these events was a special treat the Futurians gave themselves in order to preserve their culture and give themselves a taste of their home, allowing themselves to come undone to the beats and rhythms of their past. The speakers were taken from the cars and wired to the batteries, along with the iPhones that every Futurian seemed to be armed with when they arrived. All Futurians looked forward to songs they hadn't heard in years, decades, and even centuries in some cases.

They arrived at the courtyard just as the ceremony was beginning. Bofur led them to stand with the other dwarves, and Reese found herself beside Thorin, who glanced down at her. His eyes raked over her body and she heard a low rumble in his chest. She smiled, glad she was having an effect on him. "Nice dress," he muttered, low enough that only she could hear.

She arched a brow at him, "Shhhh, there's a wedding going on if you hadn't noticed." He laughed quietly again.

Reese's skin prickled as she felt someone watching her. She turned slowly to see who it was and caught Kili's eyes on her. So much had changed since she'd seen him last she was unsure how to behave towards him. Settling on friendly detachment, she smiled politely. He didn't smile. Instead, his smoldering dark eyes slowly moved from her face, down her body and up again, taking in her dress and arching his brown in apparent amusement. His eyes caught hers and he winked, finally smiling slightly as he slowly bowed his head in greeting. There was nothing that mirrored her politeness in the look in his eyes.

Reese snapped her head forward again, feeling weak at the smoldering look Kili had just given her. He had never looked at her like that before. His gaze had always been polite, sweet, and caring, never plastered with the raw hunger she saw on his face now. She immediately regretted her decision not to wear underwear as she felt wetness build between her legs. Suddenly, Reese realized that Kili knew about Thorin's proposition. Turning slightly to Thorin she hissed, "You told him!"

Thorin laughed quietly again. "You smell delicious," was all he said, inhaling deeply as he stood close to her.

Reese suddenly felt as though she might faint as a wave of desire washed over her, leaving her knees weak. Thorin was much better at this game than she was, although it seemed to have taken her six years to realize it. She must have swayed on the spot because Thorin moved his arm to support her, his deep laugh rumbling quietly in his chest again.

The sun was setting as the wedding ceremony ended, and the Futurians erupted into cheers, joined even by the loud voices of the dwarves. They all turned to move back to the dining hall. Reese managed to move away from the dwarves, sighing in relief at no longer being in close proximity to Kili and finding Janine and Sarah in the crowd. They welcomed her happily, hugging her and saying they were glad she was feeling better, teasing her for her performance two nights before. Reese was relieved to see they were dressed even more scantily than she was. She could always count on them to draw attention away from her.

Reese walked proudly with her friends in high spirits as they entered the dining hall. Not wasting anytime, the Futurians hurried to put out the feast. Everyone helped themselves to ale, and the room quickly filled with laughter and merriment. The crowd called for the couple to kiss and cheered loudly every time they did.

Reese saw the dwarves were sitting at a table drinking and eating with several merry Futurians. Feeling safe to observe Kili now that she was no longer near him, she saw that he was sitting between two Fili and Dwalin and that there were no women surrounding him. Instead, he was laughing as he and Dwalin sat drinking their ale while Bilbo appeared to be telling them a story.

Reese caught Thorin watching her from across the room and raised her eyebrows at him as he smiled wryly. She turned back to her friends. They were sitting with several other Futurian women who were relaxed and laughing with each other. Sarah turned to Reese and said in a low voice, "So?" Reese stared at her in confusion before realizing what she was asking.

"You know?" Reese hissed, her face burning red. "Does everyone know?"

"No," chimed in Janine, "Only us. Fili told me and asked me to try to convince you."

Reese's face was burning. "This is mortifying. Well, to answer your question then, no, absolutely not."

"Why the hell not?" Janine said. "Do you know what I would give for an opportunity like this?"

Sarah nodded in agreement. "And surely you didn't get all dressed up like that for nothing," she grinned, glancing down at Reese's dress. "You look amazing, by the way," she added in an approving tone.

"We just want to see you happy Reese," Janine said. "And get a good lay."

Reesed laughed, reminded of a similar conversation she'd had with Adam and Borgia six years ago. "Everyone is so concerned about my happiness," she mused. "But I'm only trying to catch one fish, not two."

"Who?" Sarah asked, looking around. "Thorin?"

Reese shrugged, grinning. "He and I go back, but we're at a bit of a stalemate with this additional condition of his."

"Reese you shady lady," Janine breathed. "Why didn't you ever tell us?"

Reese shook her head. "It didn't seem important, I guess. It was out there, beyond these walls, and I never expected it to show up on my doorstep. I just liked to keep things separate."

Janine stared at Reese, "There's so much you haven't been telling us! Is Thorin the only one?"

Reese laughed, shaking her head, and the girls squealed with laughter.

"I never knew there was this side of you," Sarah exclaimed, drawing attention from those around them before lowering her voice again. "You need to tell us everything."

Reese laughed, glancing over at Thorin before turning back to them grinning. "Well, what do you want to know?"

Once the meal was finished, the dishes were cleared away and the tables pushed to the side for dancing. The hall filled with music as the bride and groom moved to the center of the room for their first dance together as husband and wife, accompanied by cheers and applause from the Futurians. Reese smiled as other couples joined them, including Bofur leading Michelle. She marveled at how this romance had blossomed right in front of her without her realizing. She had admittedly been preoccupied.

The night continued in general merriment. Reese joined Sarah and Janine for several dances and felt herself relax as the music took her. She was feeling slightly lightheaded from the ale she'd consumed and noted she didn't want to get too drunk. The party grew louder and rowdier as the night wore on. Reese had lost her wrap hours ago but didn't mind. She'd never felt sexier in her black dress and reveled in the feel of the fabric against her thighs as she danced and spun.

The room burst into cheers as a rousing song played. It signaled the beginning of a ritual where the men all danced with the bride, and the women all danced with the groom, before sending them away to enjoy their wedding night. Reese laughed as the men pulled the bride into the middle of the room, spinning her around the floor as she was swung from partner to partner. Even all of the dwarves joined in. Reese watched as first Kili and then Thorin each spun her expertly around the floor, not surprised that the dwarves could dance.

The song ended, replaced by a sexy sultry one as the women led the groom onto the floor. While the men's dance with the bride remained chaste, no such fate lay before the groom. He was also swung around the room, passed from partner to partner to dance, but the dance was much sexier as each woman removed an article of his clothing. Reese was among the first to dance with him, and they both laughed as he willingly followed her lead. He was a tall man with light brown hair and laughing blue eyes. She'd often trained with him in the past years and had admired his good looks. He looked into her eyes tauntingly, daring Reese to make her move. Rather than being embarrassed, every Futurian man seemed enjoy to this ritual, and this man was no different, evidenced by the growing bulge in his pants as the women pulled at his clothes and stroked him sensually.

Laughing, Reese reached for the buttons to his shirt, undoing them quickly and pushing the shirt back from his shoulders. "I always like being able to do the shirt," she whispered in his ear as she leaned into him to pull the shirt from his body, her hands stroked down his bare arms. They both laughed as he was then pulled away by other women who took off his remaining clothing to cheers and catcalls. Before long the groom was stripped entirely naked, holding his bunched pants in front of his hips in a half-hearted attempt to cover himself. The laughing couple was ushered from the room to thunderous cheers and applause.

The evening was far from over, and the Futurians continued to dance. "That was an interesting ritual," Thorin's deep voice said behind her. Reese froze and turned slowly to look up at him. Smiling down at her, he bowed slightly as though greeting her. Then, he reached for her, leading her to the floor. Reese thought about what she wanted to do to convince Thorin to change his mind about Kili. They were pushed together by the crush of bodies. A feeling of anonymity settled her as they moved through the crowd, no one noticing they were dancing together as everyone was preoccupied with their own partner.

Thorin pulled Reese even closer to him and bent to whisper in her ear. "I quite like Futurian dancing. It's simpler than how dwarves dance, and much more sensual." At the last word, his hand ran down Reese's spine to where the dress rested just above her bottom, dipping his fingers just under the material. He ran them slowly over the cleft at the base of her spine.

Reese whimpered, already aching and wet from the single touch. Her hands rose to pull his hips to her as they swayed together. She relished the feeling of their bodies against each other, her breasts pressing into his chest.

Thorin dropped his hands to her thigh, moving it slowly up through the fluttering strips of fabric. "This is a very clever little dress," he murmured. "It conceals just enough." Reese moaned quietly as he pushed the hem of her dress up slightly, grazing her hip before allowing his thumb to travel down between her legs. Like that morning, he stopped just short of pushing his fingers between her folds. "But it makes everything available," he finished.

Reese was grateful that no one could see what he was doing to her because they were pushed so tightly together from the crush of the bodies around them. Thorin was being very careful to go undetected as his hands teased Reese.

"Have you reconsidered my offer?" He murmured as he held her body against his, seductively swaying to the music while his hands dropped to the hem at the back of her dress, slightly grazing her bare ass cheeks just under her skirt with his fingertips.

"No," Reese gasped, hiding her face in his shoulder as they continued to sway to the heavy sensual beats, even though the others around them were dancing much more vigorously.

"Hmmm, too bad," he murmured as his fingers brushed her bare cheeks again, dipping his finger slightly farther between them. Reese had to bite her lip to keep from crying out. "Although I think I have something that might convince you." He grinned down at her as her eyes widened while strong arms moved in from behind her, pulling her away from Thorin, up against a wide hard chest. Thorin held her panicked gaze for a moment longer, smiling, before turning to weave through the dancers and exit the hall.

Kili pulled Reese back to him. He splayed his large hand across her stomach, his thumb caressing just below her breasts and his little finger grazing the top of her pubic bone. He murmured in her ear, "You look stunning, Reese." Reese caught her lip at the effect his voice had on her. The feel of the stubble against her neck made her skin prickle with goosebumps.

Dropping his hands to her waist, Kili held her hips tightly against his. She felt his erection through his trousers, pushing against her ass. He had pulled her dress up slightly so that the fabric of his trousers chaffed against her naked bottom, which was barely concealed by the wide strips of cloth falling down around her thighs. He angled his hips so that the bulge nestled between her ass cheeks. Then he moved in rhythm with music, slowly grinding their hips in a circular motion as many of the other dancers were doing. The dwarves had clearly been paying attention to how Futurians danced.

"In fact," he continued to say, "You look so good that I could eat you." Reese gasped at the meaning behind his words as one hand traveled her hip to the hem of her dress before pulling up the side slighting and grazing her naked hip.

He paused when he realized she was naked under her dress and chuckled quietly. "Oh Reese, you came ready for us." She whimpered in protest as his hand snaked up under her dress, stroking the top of her pubic bone.

"Reese, we all know how this evening is going to end." She whimpered again as pulled his hand away. He pulled her arm up over her head, dropping it over his neck so that she was arched back against him while they continued to move to the music. He stroked his hand down her arm. He followed the line of the dress from her neck, past her shoulders, and along her ribs, passing lightly over the side of her breast.

Reese moaned as his hand spread again under her breast across her rib, his other stroking the side of her thigh, moving higher and higher. "It's going to end with my buried deep inside of you as you cry out in ecstasy," he whispered. "You are going to come so many times, Reese."

It took all of Reese's restraint not to cry out at his words. Kili continued to grind his hips into hers as he whispered again, "I want so badly to make you come, Reese. I want to be deep inside of you as you come so that I can feel you clenching around me. I want to capture your screams with my mouth while your nails scratch my skin from the ecstasy."

Kili moved to her other ear, biting the lobe lightly. "Don't you want that, Reese? Don't you want me to make you come?" Unable to restrain herself any longer, she nodded her head against his shoulder.

"Say it," Kili commanded. "Tell me what you want."

Reese bit her lip again before whispering. "I want you to make me come, Kili. I want it so badly."

She heard him laugh deeply. "And I shall," he said as he moved away from her, turning to follow his uncle through the doors of the hall, leaving her alone on the dance floor staring after him.

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><p><strong>AN: The next chapter is written so you won't be stuck with a cliffhanger for too long :D I just wanted to change a few things since I wrote it a long time ago.**


	14. After Wedding (Thorin, Kili, Reese)

**A/N: Sorry for the super long wait! A few things happened that stretched this out. First of all, as you all know I started my new job Monday, which really bit into my FF writing time. Second, I felt like I needed to go back to read the whole story again to reconnect with it, which took some time. Then, I was all ready to upload updates on Thursday night, and the site was down! So here we are.**

**Daybreak96 had the most amazing idea, which took some time because I decided to write two options for chapter 14. One is a Kili/Reese/Thorin chapter, which was my original idea for chapter 14. The other is just Kili/Reese, which is the idea I got from Daybreak96's review. I had to write the Kili/Reese one from scratch, and I wanted to upload them at the same time so that people could pick whichever they wanted.**

**On that note, this is yet another rule rule that I'm breaking. If something happens to this story, I'll continue it on Archive of Our Own under the same username. It's not there right now, but it would be within days if something happened here. Further, you can find me on tumblr under SnookerBummer, where I will post progress updates. **

**They way this update works is that the two options are completely interchangeable, so you can read either depending on how you want the scene following Kili's and Thorin's leaving the wedding to go. For those of you who read both options, I would LOVE LOVE LOVE for you to tell me which you prefer and why please, either through review or PM. I'm dying to hear what your thoughts are about this.**

**Love you all so much! RP**

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><p>Reese stood outside of Kili's chamber leaning against the wall. The cold stone served to cool her fevered skin as she worried at her lip with her teeth, trying to decide what to do. She looked down the hall where she could see the door to her quartres. She could just continue walking.<p>

Reese knew that wasn't what she was going to do. Reese closed her eyes, breathing deeply to steady her nerves. She was flooded with images of what had just taken place in the dance. She remembered the feel of Thorin's fingers on her bare skin underneath her dress. Or the hardness of Kili as he ground into her in rhythm to the music. She heard Kili's words again.

_I want so badly to make you come, Reese. I want to be deep inside of you so that I can feel you clenching around me. I want to capture your screams with my mouth while your nails scratch my skin from the ecstasy._

Reese furrowed her brow as her body tightened with desire. Why was she wasting time? Turning, she opened Kili's door and stepped inside.

Shutting the door behind her she saw Thorin standing beside the bed talking in a low voice to Kili. Both dwarves were still fully dressed. Neither male acknowledged her as she stood by the door waiting, feeling her nerves building and started to wonder if she could slip out again unnoticed.

"That dress is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen," Thorin said before she had a chance. "I could almost see the folds between your legs, begging for my mouth."

Reese swayed at the thought, knowing that was exactly why she'd been wearing the dress. Kili grinned at her from the bed. Both of them looked at her, still considering her from across the room.

Thorin then walked towards Reese, moving between her and the door, his front pressed against her back. He leaned forward to speak softly into her ear. "I think _this_ is the point of that dress." Thorin reached up to the tie behind Reese's neck and pulled it loose. The dress fell with a whisper, pooling around her feet, leaving her naked before them.

Reese squared her shoulders before raising her eyes to Kili's, who was gazing at her body lustily. Reese felt her nipples harden and heat pool low in her stomach as she watched Kili's eyes devour her, lingering on her breasts and the folds between her legs.

Thorin continued to murmur in her ear. "Kili has told me that the day he caught you naked in the forest he later came to your room to apologize, but instead watched your pleasure yourself."

Reese's eyes sought Kili's in shock. "You watched me?" she gasped as her face blazed scarlett. Kili only grinned and shrugged, not looking at all sorry.

"I've never seen you do that Reese, and I think Kili wouldn't mind seeing again." Thorin said, as he ran his hand lightly over Reese's collar bone.

Reese's breath caught as she realized what Thorin was asking. "You want me to touch myself while you both watch?" Thorin murmured agreement as he nuzzled her neck. Reese moaned at the contact. "I don't think I can do that," she whimpered.

"Of course you can." His low voice brought goosebumps to her skin. "Let me help you." Thorin took her hand in his and brought it to her abdomen. Reese held her breath as Thorin dragged her hand down to the folds between her legs. She whimpered as she felt him push their fingers between them. She was slick from her constant state of arousal the entire evening and moaned as her fingers grazed her clitoris.

Thorin continued, "Do you see what this is doing to Kili, how much he wants you?"

She looked at Kili and saw him staring at her hungrily from the bed, a prominent bulge in his trousers. "Yes," she whispered, licking her lips while she continued to move her fingers against her clit as Thorin's hands moved up to cups her breasts.

He pinched her nipples lightly before drawing lazy circles around them with his fingers. Reese dropped her head back against Thorin's shoulder, moaning as she thrust her breasts into his hands. "Keep your eyes on Kili," Thorin said in a commanding tone.

"I can't," Reese gasped.

"If you do it you will see how much he enjoys watching you." Reese's face burned as she slowly returned her eyes to Kili's. He was staring at her, his face tense with desire as he watched her hand.

"Don't you see how much he wants you," Thorin asked, "and how much pleasure you're bringing him by allowing him to watch you do this?" Reese nodded breathlessly not breaking her gaze from Kili's.

"Don't stop. We want you to come this way."

"I don't know if I can," Reese protested. "I'm too nervous."

Kili's eyes flickered up to Thorin's, who she felt nod his head. Kili rose from the bed and moved towards her, never breaking his gaze with her eyes. He spoke to her for the first time since she'd entered the room. "Reese, you don't know how beautiful you look right now and how much you're making me want you."

Reese nodded, biting her lip while Thorin continue to nuzzle her neck and collarbone as he massaged her breasts and gently pinched her nipples.

Stopping in front of her, Kili leaned forward and cupped her face with his hands. She closed her eyes as he kissed her softly. The kiss was everything she remembered, his lips like velvet, teasing hers gently. His tongue trailed her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth to him, moaning as he deepened the kiss, using his tongue to thrust against hers.

Reese felt Kili's hands leave her face, bringing his hand down to cover hers to run their fingers between her slick folds. Her heart lurched as Kili moaned when he touched her, the thrusts of his tongue matched the rhythm he set between her legs.

Reese's head swam. She couldn't believe Kili was touching her in this way, the way she'd wished for since first laying eyes on him. She breathed in deeply, intoxicated by the scent of him mingled with the scent of her need, and their kisses became frantic as she began to buck her hips against their hands, increasing the friction.

The sensation was too much for her. She felt the pressure building quickly in her belly until it exploded and she cried out into Kili's mouth, the wetness between her legs drenching both of their hands. The two dwarves supported her as her knees buckled.

Reese's head collapsed backwards onto Thorin's shoulder, who brought his mouth to her neck, running his tongue lightly up to her ear. After a moment when her orgasm had passed, Kili withdrew both of their hands from the folds between her legs. He brought her fingers to his mouth and licked them, groaning at the taste, before he then brought them to her own mouth. She moaned shamelessly as she tasted herself on his hands, hungrily pulling his thick fingers between her lips.

Thorin's hands left her breasts and began to stroke her ribs lightly. "Now, I want you to undress Kili."

Reese nodded and brought her shaking hands to the belt slung low around Kili's hips. It was a complicated Dwarven style that she struggled to unclasp. "I've never understood how you guys get as much action as you claim considering you have this to impede you," she muttered. They laughed as Kili helped her undo the belt, tossing it aside.

Reaching for the hem of his tunic, she slowly began to draw it up over his body, watching him from under her lashes. She let her hands stroke his abdomen and chest, feeling the ridges of muscle and humming as she tangled her fingers in his course black hair. He gasped as she grazed her nails over his nipples, pushing the tunic up so that he raised his arms and helped her pull it over his head, his black locks tumbling down around his shoulders.

Reese took a minute to gaze at his body. His shoulders were strong and well-formed and powerful with ropes of muscle spreading down his arms. She longed to put her mouth to his chest, nipping his collarbone with her teeth. Her eyes followed a fine line of black hair down his abdomen, disappearing under his trousers between narrow hips. Bringing her hand to his chest, she allowed her hand to trail down this line of hair, watching his muscles ripple as they tensed under her light touch.

Peaking up at him, she brought her fingers to his waistband, playfully sweeping them over the sensitive skin by his hips. She smiled as she heard a rumble in Kili's chest and moved to unbutton his trousers, seeing that he wasn't wearing any underclothes. She wondered if he was always dressed this way, always ready for sex at a moment's notice. She bit her lip, imagining the sexual prowess of this prince before her. As she pushed his trousers down, his cock sprang forward free from its confines and painfully erect.

"Oh," Reese whispered, her tongue wetting her lips again as she gazed at Kili. He was not quite as thick as Thorin but was longer. Longing to touch him, she reached out her hand but stopped, waiting until Thorin instructed her. She looked over her shoulder at Thorin, who was massaging her breasts and nuzzling her neck, his eyes on her hands.

"You can touch him," he said. Reese reached hungrily Kili's cock. Watching his face, she slowly stroked it from tip to base before wrapping her fingers around the root. Kili groaned as Reese lightly ran her hand up his cock before sliding it back down while with her other hand she reached under and cupped his balls, tugging gently.

"Mahal," Kili groaned as he bucked his hips forward, his eyes never stopping watching her hands.

She felt Thorin pushing her down. "Take him in your mouth," he instructed, as she fell to her knees before Kili, gazing at him above her. Releasing Kili's cock, she used her hands to push his trousers down, helping him step out of them. Looking up at Kili again, she caught his eyes. His pupils were dilated with lust, making his eyes appear almost black. She smiled as she brought her tongue to his base, lightly running the tip of her tongue up his shaft before circling lightly around the head and running down again. She tasted the salty fluid that had pooled there, moaning as she relished the delicious flavour.

Kili groaned deeply, tangling his hands in her short hair as she continued to lick Kili's cock from base to tip. She heard Thorin move away from them across the room and begin to remove his clothing. Reese cupped Kili's balls again, gently using her other hand to press against the smooth skin right behind his sac. She playful swirled her tongue around the tip of Kili's penis before taking the head in her mouth.

Kili tightened his hold on her hair as he pushed his hips towards her impatiently. She smiled as she bent forward, taking his length fully in her mouth, pushing him as deeply as she could so that he curved down her throat, making her gag slightly. Kili let out a strangled cry as he leaned over her, bracing his hands against the door and thrusting his hips forward wantonly. She continued to pull his cock into her throat, alternating with sliding up his shaft again with her lips and tongue. She began to hum slightly every time she pulled him into her throat.

Suddenly he withdrew from her mouth with a roar, using his hands to stop her from taking him back in her mouth. She looked up at him smiling.

She heard Thorin chuckle from across the room. "She gives good head, doesn't she?" Reese saw Thorin had removed all of his clothing and was lying on the bed watching them.

Kili nodded breathlessly, closing his eyes and taking a long steadying breath. Reese gazed up at him, intoxicated by her effect on him. Kili opened his eyes and reached for her, drawing her to him as his mouth crushed hers, bruising her lips in his intensity. She brought her hands to his neck, tangling them in his hair and pulling him to her tightly.

"Bring her here," Thorin said from the bed. Without breaking their kiss, Kili gripped Reese's bottom and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her to the bed. They both cried out as his tip grazed her center, siding lightly between her folds.

Kili laid Reese gently on the bed before lying down beside her. Thorin rose from the bed and stood over her, bringing his mouth to hers and kissing her deeply. As he broke their kiss, she looked up into his blue eyes and saw tenderness there as they smiled at each other. He arranged her so that her hips were at the edge of the bed and dropped his mouth to her navel, dipping his tongue in, before trailing down over her pubic bone.

Reese gasped, grabbing Thorin's long hair, as he slipped his tongue over her clitoris.

"All I wanted to do this evening was lay you on a table and suck you to orgasm before fucking you mercilessly in front of all of those people."

Reese moaned at his words while Kili grunted in agreement with Thorin as he settled on the bed behind Reese.

Thorin continued to run his tongue between the folds of her legs, dipping into her center, before rising up to circle her clitoris again. Sliding his tongue over her center again, he dropped down further down to circle his tongue around her puckered hole.

Reese's hips bucked, her head snapping up in surprised. Thorin had never paid attention to this part of her before, although other men had.

She heard Kili chuckle behind her. He arose above her, gently guiding her back down to the bed as Thorin continued to run his tongue over her tight entrance.

Kili leaned into Reese to kiss her greedily, breaking the kiss to move down her jaw to her ear. "I've wanted this for so long, Reese. You don't know how much I need you. I've never wanted anyone this much."

Kili kissed her again as she moaned into his mouth. He moved his mouth down her body to her breasts taking one of her nipples in his mouth. Reese arched, groaning as Thorin started to thrust his tongue into her, his fingers massaging the puckered hole. The sensation was overwhelming and she thought it likely she would come again soon. Reese reached for Kili's cock, gripping it firmly, and Kili growled deeply as she stroked him.

She whimpered as Thorin suddenly withdrew her mouth from her. She heard him cross the room as Kili brought his mouth to hers again, kissing her hungrily as his hand replaced Thorin's mouth between her legs. Reese's arms tangled around his neck, pulling him to her, unable to kiss him deeply enough.

Thorin return to the bed and she glanced at him seeing that he had a small bottle of oil. He opened it, pouring a small amount in his hand, coating one of his thick fingers with it. Reese knew what was coming and willed herself to relax her body. Thorin brought his mouth to her clitoris again briefly while thrusting a finger into her center. Reese arched and cried out into Kili's mouth as Thorin curled the finger upwards against the tender spot inside her. He continued to plunge his finger into her while sucking her clitoris. Thorin then began to rub her puckered hole with the oiled finger.

"Oh god!" Reese cried, the stimulation feeling divine. "I need one of you to take me. Now, please!"

Kili held her to his chest. "Soon," he promised. "Soon."

"I don't want to wait," she sobbed. "I need you now, please," Reese begged, groaning into Kili's shoulder as Thorin continued to tongue her clitoris, while kneading her puckered hole and thrusting his other finger into her center.

Thorin lifted his head and withdrew his finger from her as he slowly pushed his oiled finger into her tight entrance. He paused as her tight muscle clenched his finger. Reese gasped and breathed deeply, knowing she would relax soon. It had been a long time since she'd taken anyone this way, but she knew it worth the brief pain.

When Thorin felt her relax, he pushed his finger in further as he applied his mouth to her clitoris. An animalistic groan was ripped from Reese's body as Kili continued to tongue her breasts.

His oiled finger buried deeply inside her, Thorin returned his other hand to her center, sliding his finger in and curving it upwards, his tongue still swirling around her clitoris. Reese sobbed at the feeling of the double penetration, her hand clenching Kili's cock tightly. Kili moaned, returning to kiss her as he stroked her breasts and belly. "Careful now," Kili said. "You don't want me to finish too early. Trust me."

Reese nodded breathlessly as Thorin continued to fuck both of her holes with his fingers while sucking on her clitoris. She felt herself tensing and knew she was close to orgasm again, her hips bucking insistently against Thorin's hands and mouth.

As she climaxed, her head shot forward, accidentally knocking into Kili's forehead. Reese heard Kili grunt but barely registered the pain as she rode out her climax, bearing down on Thorin's hand and sobbing shamelessly through the waves of her orgasm.

Collapsing back onto the bed, she looked at Kili who was rubbing his forehead. "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed.

"Don't worry," laughed Kili. "I should have known to move out of the way." He smirked as Thorin glowered at him in annoyance, straightening up from between Reese's legs.

Shaking his head in irritation at Kili, Thorin bent over Reese, kissing her tenderly. Kili moved to the head of the bed, lying back and pulling Reese towards him. He helped her to straddle him as she laid forward on his chest, exhausted and spent. "I don't know how much more I can handle," she said wearily, resting her head on his shoulder.

Kili pulled her face to his, placing soft kisses around her eyes. "I know," he whispered, "but trust me. We'll take care of you."

Reese nodded, losing herself in Kili's beautiful caresses. His warm voice seemed to radiate over her, filling her with warmth. He began to kiss her again as he ran his hand between her legs. She whimpered as her clitoris was touched, overly sensitive from her orgasms.

She felt Thorin settle behind her, bringing his hand to her buttocks. She cried out as he returned his oiled finger to her tight entrance. Reese gasped and tensed as he quickly added a second finger.

Kili whispered in her ear, "Relax. Just focus on me," as he stroked her back soothingly.

Reese nuzzled into Kili's shoulder, breathing his male scent in deeply, resting her cheek against his chest while she took deep breaths. Thorin began to pump both fingers into her, scissoring them to help her loosen. Kili bent down to her breast again, drawing her nipple into his mouth, sucking gently.

Reese gasped as Thorin slid a third thick finger into her, pausing again and waiting for her tension to pass before driving into her with his fingers. Reese buried her face in Kili's chest, moaning, and he rested his chin on her head. The sensation was indescribable as she began to relax and stretch around Thorin's thick fingers.

She sighed as Thorin withdrew his hand from her, leaving her feeling empty, before she felt his oiled member line up with her. Although she had been stretched by his fingers, she gasped as she she felt him push into her slightly.

Thorin bent over her to murmur in her ear. "Don't worry, Reese. I'll take my time." Reese nodded, taking a slow breath, before nudging her hips back to him, indicating she was ready. She heard him chuckle deep in his chest, saying, "That's my girl," as he eased forward slowly.

Thorin slowly slid inch by inch into her, stopping periodically to allow her to adjust to his size. Kili kissed her temple and rubbed between her should blades, murmuring reassurances to her. Thorin growled as he slid himself into her completely.

"Oh god," Reese moaned, "So good."

Kili's eye caught Thorin's over her shoulder and he nodded. "Alright Reese, it's my turn now."

Apprehension spread across Reese's features. "Kili, I've never …"

"Shhh," Kili soothed, stroking her face lovingly. "You'll love this. Trust me." He kissed her softly before pulling away and looking into her eyes. "You'll always be able to trust me," he said.

"Okay," Reese whispered, relaxing into his chest.

Thorin lifted Reese's hips so that Kili could position himself, and Reese held her breath, feeling Kili ready to enter her. He looked at her saying, "Don't forget to breath, Reese, it makes it easier." He smiled, leaning forward to kiss her as he slowly pushed his cock all the way into her with one fluid movement. "Mahal, Reese, you're so tight! You have no idea how tight you are!" She felt herself stretching to accommodate both of them.

"I think right now I have a pretty good idea," Reese gasped, and Thorin and Kili both laughed softly.

When Kili was buried in her, they all stopped moving and enjoyed the feeling of being connected together in this way. Reese had never felt so full in her life. Kili had been right. She loved how both of their cocks inside of her felt. Reese leaned her forehead against Kili's chest while both dwarves stroked and kissed her skin soothingly.

After a moment, Reese felt Thorin shift and say, "Kili." Thorin and Kili pulled slowly out of her in unison. She whimpered at the feeling of emptiness, before they slowly slid back into her. Reese cried out as she was stretched and filled again, the sensation overwhelming as she felt a wave of pleasure wash over her body.

Reese heard Thorin's breath quicken as they both withdrew from her. All three groaned as they slid back into her. Gradually, Thorin and Kili set a slow, loving rhythm thrusting into her in unison, Reese's cries growing louder with each thrust as they increased their pace. She lost all thought as she became aware only of the sensation of being filled and emptied again. She rested her hand on Kili's hip, pulling him as deeply into her as possible, while pushing her hips back against Thorin, who growled, thrusting into her deeply.

Reese felt her body building to climax again. She pushed her face into Kili's shoulder, biting him hard to muffle her screams against his skin, tightly grasping his body to hers as Thorin's strong arms pulled both of them to him. Kili hissed.

"Sorry!" she gasped, barely able to articulate the word.

"No," he groaned. "Do it again!"

Not needing to be asked twice, Reese sank her teeth into his skin. He moaned deeply. "Harder!" he growled, his head thrown back in rapture.

"No," Thorin commanded.

Reese ignored Thorin, bringing her hand to Kili's nipple as she twisted it sharply while biting his shoulder so hard that his skin broke. A strangled cry broke from Kili as he threw his head back in ecstasy, spilling his seed deep inside her. Reese felt another orgasm building as she watched his climax play across his face.

Thorin growled in annoyance. He quickly pulled Reese up, Kili's cock slipping out of her. Standing on his knees while holding Reese hard against his chest, he continued to pound angrily into her. Reese's voice was hoarse from crying out with each thrust. One hand splayed across her abdomen to hold her in place, Thorin's other hand dropped between her legs, expertly stimulating her, Kili's seed spilling down her legs. Reese turned her head to Thorin's, and he caught her mouth in a punishing kiss. It only took a few seconds before Reese felt another orgasm explode within her. Thorin roared as he came inside of her, the spasm of her muscles milking him.

Thorin released Reese as she tumbled forward onto Kili's chest, Thorin lowering himself to the bed beside them as Reese gasped for breath.

She rolled to the side, snuggling between Thorin and Kili, as she felt herself being to doze. Kili turned to her, pulling her to his chest, and Thorin stroked her back lightly, hastening sleep. As her breath deepened, Thorin rose from the bed. He stood beside the bed gazing on the two bodies intertwined together. He smiled softly as he reached for the blankets and tucked them snugly around them. Pulling on his clothes, he extinguished the candles. Looking again at the bed, Reese was snuggled beneath Kili's cheek, his tangled locks tumbling across both their faces. Thorin reach over to softly caress his nephew's cheek, listening to their deep peaceful breaths. Moving across the room, he left, pulling the door shut behind him.

* * *

><p>Kili and Reese slept soundly for several hours. Reese woke during the night and momentarily didn't know where she was. As her mind unclouded, she remembered the events of the evening and smiled, nuzzling against Kili's chest with her nose. She rolled over and drew his arm over her, snuggling back against his chest. He moaned as her movements woke him. "Sorry," she whispered.<p>

"Mmm," Kili said, his voice deep and contented. She smiled as she felt his hard erection against her back, and his hand drew her hips tight to his. Sliding into her again, they made drowsy love before drifting back to sleep.

The next morning Reese woke and felt Kili sleeping soundly beside her. Thinking she should probably return to her room before he woke, she began to wiggle toward the edge of the bed. She squeaked as she felt strong arms surround her and pull her sharply back to his chest. "Where are you going?" Kili asked drowsily. Reese saw concern in his eyes.

"I thought I would let you have your room back," Reese said.

"I don't want my room unless you're in it, just like this," he mumbled sleepily. Reese's heart leapt as he continued, "I want to make love to you over and over all day. I've wanted this for so long, and now that I have you, I'm not letting you go."

Reese knew felt her misgivings washing away. She felt completely relaxed and safe and snuggled into the alcove of Kili's body, basking in his heat as he tugged the comforter up to their chins. She breathed deeply, drinking in the scent of their bodies mixed together.

She turned into his chest so that she was facing him and brought her lips to his chest. Kili made a low happy noise as his arms tightened around her back. She kissed his broad strong chest gently, slowly moving to take one of his nipples in her mouth as her hand trailed down to gently stroke his already half hard cock.

Kili gasped as his eyes flew up, now fully awake. She smiled up at him mischievously as she continued to suckle his nipple, his cock quickly hardening in her hand as she stroked the tip with her finger.

"Oh you're a little tease!" Kili growled as he rolled himself over her, settling between her legs.

Dropping his head to kiss her, Reese turned away. "Mmm, I have morning breath," she protested.

"So do I," groaned Kili, capturing her mouth in his as he quickly slid his cock into her. Reese cried out, bringing her legs up to wrap around his waist as he rested on his elbows, tangling his hands in her hair. He moaned shamelessly as he thrust into her, setting a lazy pace. Reese smiled as she snuggled her head between his elbows, lazily rocking her hips up to meet his. Before long they gasped as they orgasmed together, Kili fully collapsing onto her.

"I don't think I've ever had this many orgasms in one day," Reese groaned in pleasure, relishing the feeling of Kili's weight on her body. She wrapped her arms and legs tightly around him, hugging him to her body. He moved down to rest his cheek between her breasts, his hair spread across her chest.

Her lust sated, she felt her stomach rumble. "Kili, we need to go get food, but I don't want to."

"I have something you can eat," Kili murmured, as he rolled onto his side and pulled her to him again.

Reese laughed. "I don't think that's enough for me. Surely you must be starving too? And we need a bath. We reek of sex."

"Then I'm never going to bath again," Kili grinned.

"In that case, I'm probably never going to sleep with you again," Reese grinned back.

Reese gasped as someone pounded on Kili's door. "Oi, Kili!" they heard Fili shout. "Get up! Breakfast!"

Reese stiffened as Kili swore. "Oh shit," Reese whispered. "Can we pretend we're not here?"

"I doubt it," said Kili, laughing at her over his shoulder as he got up from the bed, carrying a pillow.

"Kili!" Reese hissed, "I'm not wearing anything!"

He shot a grin at her over his shoulder as he reached for the door, holding the pillow in front of his hips. Reese quickly pulled the covers up over her head hoping the messy blankets would disguise that a body was tangled in them.

She heard Fili's low voice but couldn't make out what he was saying. Reese thought longingly of breakfast but didn't move. Reese heard scuffling and cursing and then suddenly someone ripped the blankets off of her. She shrieked, only just being able to hold onto the corner a sheet to cover her body with.

"Well hello, Reese," Fili grinned down at her. "I thought I heard your voice through my wall. How have you been enjoying yourself?"

"Fili!" Reese exclaimed, feeling her face turn crimson. "Give me the blankets back!"

"Maybe," Fili mused, holding tightly onto his end of the blankets as Reese tried to cover herself as much as possible with the end she was holding. "You know, I'd been wondering how long it would take for you to succumb to my brother's charms." He winked broadly at her before tossing his end of the blankets onto the bed. "You certainly made him work for it," he said, smiling over at Kili who grinned back at his brother happily.

Reese was mortified. "Jesus Christ, Fili." Fili only grinned at her more broadly.

He looked around the room before moving to the door. "I have to get out of here. It reeks of sex."

"Why do you think I didn't want to let you in?" Kili grumbled.

Fili laughed. "Are you sure you don't want to come down with me?" Kili threw his pillow at Fili, who only laughed more as he pulled the door shut behind him. Suddenly Reese had an idea, springing up from the bed and wrapping a sheet around her. She hurried to the door and pulled it open a crack to see if anyone else was around. Only seeing Fili's retreating back, she whispered loudly, "Fili!"

Fili turned, his eyebrows raised. "Can you please get us some food," she asked, a pleading look on her face. "I'm starving."

Fili laughed. "Been working up an appetite?"

"Please, Fili, I'll do anything if you please just bring us some food," Reese begged. "Or can you ask Michelle to?"

"Anything?" A mischievous glint entered Fili's eyes.

Reese shook her head. "You're just as bad as your brother!"

Reese felt Kili walk up behind the door and begin to playfully tug on her sheet. She slapped his hand away before turning to Fili again. "Please, Fili?"

"Mmm, I want you to beg like that for me," Kili said, loudly enough for Fili to hear him, who snorted. Kili took Reese's hand and pulled it to his already hard cock.

"Jesus Christ, Kili. Just give me a second!" Reese hissed, lightly slapping him away again.

"Ouch, that hurt!" Kili said in a wounded voice.

Fili laughed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. Anything particular?"

"Just lots of everything, please," Reese called as Kili pushed the door shut with a growl.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Just a reminder that the next chapter is Option #2 for Chapter 14, not a whole new chapter. The last part of the chapter (the next day) is the same as it is in this chapter, so Chapter 15 will up perfectly no matter which option you choose. **


	15. After Wedding (Kili, Reese)

**A/N: Here is the Kili/Reese option. Just a reminder that the last portion is the same as the last portion of Option #1. For those of you who read Option #1 first, you'll noticed several similarities between the two chapters, but it's interesting how some things were so different because of change in characters!**

* * *

><p>Reese walked down the hallway towards Kili's chamber. She had left the hall only moments after he had. She was still unsure if she would stop at his door or continue past to her own quartres, only a few doors down from his.<p>

Reese rounded the corner and stopped. She saw Kili standing outside his door, leaning against the wall with his head lowered and arms crossed over his chest as though in thought. Reese paused for a moment, taking in his strong frame, tall for a dwarf, and shining dark locks that covered his face.

He didn't appear to have seen or heard her yet. Taking a breath, she continued to walk down the hall, and he raised his head at the sound of her footsteps. Seeing her, Kili slowly straightened. She saw an uneasy smile break across his features and realized he looked apprehensive, as though he wasn't entirely confident in her intent for being there.

Reese noticed that Thorin was not to be seen, wondering where he was and why Kili was standing in the hallway. As she walked towards Kili, she became aware that this had always been Thorin's plan and that he would not be joining them. Reese paused as this realization hit her, and then she understood. She understood that this was what she really wanted and that Thorin had known.

She saw a flash of anxiety cross Kili's perfect features when she paused, and she wondered if he thought she was going to turn around. The moment passed though as she continued to move towards him. His eyes searched her face as she stopped in front of him, and he reached for one of her hands, holding it a little too tightly in his large one.

His eyes dropped to their hands, and she saw him swallow. Gone was the confidence he has shown just moments ago when they'd been dancing. Her own nervousness was mirrored in face as he raised his eyes to hers. She realized without the commanding presence of Thorin that they were both unsure of what to do next.

"Thorin's not here," Kili finally said, looking nervous. "I wanted to tell you here so that ..." He trailed off.

Reese realized he was worried she'd change her mind.

"I know," she said.

"It's just me," he said, as though he thought maybe she hadn't understood that Thorin was not coming at all, fearing he wasn't enough by himself.

"Kili," she swallowed before saying the words she feared, "you're all that I want."

The words came out as a whisper. He stared down at her, relief painted on his features.

They stood looking at each other, and before long they both began to grin. "Are we lost without him?" Kili asked.

Reese shook her head as she moved towards him. Their first kiss was awkward, as first kisses often can be. The second was better as they reached for each other at the same time, Kili's hands snaking around her waist, his fingers grazing the bare skin of her back, while hers came to tangle in his hair.

They gained more confidence as their kisses became deeper, Kili's hands running down her bottom to the hem of her dress. KIli groaned as his hands again grazed the bare skin. Breaking the kiss, Kili glared at Reese. Gone was the insecurity of the previous moment, replaced by a raging need that hardened his eyes.

All hesitation replaced by raw hunger, Kili opened the door to his chambers and backed Reese through, slamming the door shut behind them. Kili reached behind Reese's neck and pulled the tie to her dress. Reese gasped as the fabric fell to the floor, leaving her naked before him.

Kil growled as his mouth found her neck, pulling her to his body. She brought her hands to the belt over his tunic, frantically trying to unclasp the complicated dwarven buckle. Cursing in frustration at her shaking hands, she muttered, "I've never understood how you guys get as much action as you claim considering you have this to impede you," she muttered. They both laughed as he helped her undo the belt, tossing it aside.

Kili's hands roamed her body hungrily as she drew his tunic over his head, quickly throwing it aside so that she could attack his trousers. She nearly popped a button in her haste to remove them. Pulling them down, she moaned in delight as his cock sprang free from the fabric confines. He was beautiful, long and thick, skin delicate and begging for her touch.

Dropping to her knees, Reese reached hungrily for him. She stroked him once from tip to base before wrapping her fingers around the root. Kili gasped as Reese lightly ran her hand up his cock before sliding it back down. With her other hand she reached under and cupped his balls, tugging gently.

"Reese!" Kili groaned as he bucked his hips forward, his eyes never stopping watching her hands.

Grinning as she looked up at Kili again, she caught his eyes. His pupils were dilated with lust, making his eyes appear almost black. Without breaking eye contact she brought her tongue to his base, lightly running the tip of her tongue up his shaft before circling lightly around the head and running down again. She tasted the salty fluid that had pooled there, moaning as she relished the delicious flavour.

Kili whimpered, tangling his hands in her short hair as Reese continued to lick Kili's cock from base to tip. She cupped Kili's balls again, gently using her other hand to press against the smooth skin right behind his sac. She playfully swirled her tongue around Kili's tip before taking the head in her mouth.

Kili growled, tightening his hold on her hair as he thrust his hips towards her impatiently. She smiled as she bent forward, taking his length fully in her mouth, pushing him as deeply as she could so that he curved down her throat, making her gag slightly. Kili let out a strangled cry as he leaned over her, bracing his hands against the door and thrusting his hips forward demandingly. She continued to pull his cock into her throat, alternating with sliding up his shaft again with her lips and tongue.

Suddenly he withdrew from her mouth with a cry, using his hands to stop her from taking him back in her mouth. She looked up at him. "Too soon," he gasped, closing his eyes as he took a long steadying breath.

Kili soon opened his eyes and suddenly reached for her, drawing her to him as his mouth crushed hers, bruising her lips in his intensity. She brought her hands to his neck, tangling them in his hair and pulling him to her tightly. His tongue trailed her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth to him. She moaned as he deepened the kiss, using his tongue to thrust against hers.

Kili dropped his hands to her breasts and she whimpered, arching into his hands at the touch. He massaged them lightly, grazing his thumb over her tight nipples. Breaking their kiss he brought his mouth to her ear. "I have to tell you something," he murmured, his tongue flicking out to lightly brush over the sensitive skin behind her ear.

"What?" Reese moaned, urgently thrusting her breasts into his hands.

Kili brought his mouth to hers, kissing her lightly before moving to her other ear. He bit her ear lobe gently before continuing. "The day in the forest when I came upon you by the pool, I went to your quarters later to apologize." Reese was surprised but nodded impatiently, her breath coming in short gasps, waiting for him to continue. "I watched your touch yourself when you woke from sleep."

Reese pulled slightly away from Kili to look at him. Her faced flushed red. "You watched me?" she whispered.

Kili grinned. "I'm sorry," he said, not looking at all sorry. Reese stared at him, surprised by the heat that pooled between her legs at the thought of his watching her. Reese drew Kili back to her, kissing him with renewed hunger.

"I loved seeing your hands on yourself," he murmured against her lips, and she moaned at his words.

Reese felt Kili's hands leave her face. He caught her hand in his and slowly lowered them together, bringing their entwined fingers between her legs to probe at the slick folds between her legs. She moaned as his hand covered hers, guiding her to slide against her clitoris. Reese gasped at the sensation.

Reese's head swam. She couldn't believe Kili was touching her in this way, the way she'd wished for since first laying eyes on him. She breathed in deeply, intoxicated by the scent of him mingled with the scent of her need, the thrusts of his tongue matching the rhythm he set between her legs. Their kisses became frantic as she began to buck her hips against their hands, increasing the friction.

The pleasure was too much for her. She felt the pressure building quickly in her belly until it exploded and she cried out into Kili's mouth, the wetness between her legs drenching both of their hands. Kili supported her as her knees buckled, her head collapsing forward onto his shoulder.

Kili brought his mouth to her neck, running his tongue lightly up to her ear. After a moment when her orgasm had passed, Kili withdrew both of their hands from the folds between her legs. He brought her fingers to his mouth and licked them, groaning at the taste, before he then brought them to her own mouth. She moaned as she tasted herself on his hands, hungrily pulling his thick fingers between her lips.

Moving her mouth to Kili's, she grasped his neck to pull him to her. Without breaking their kiss, Kili gripped Reese's bottom and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her to the bed. They both cried out as his tip grazed her center, sliding lightly between her folds.

Kili laid Reese gently on the bed, leaning over her and kissing her deeply. As he broke their kiss, she looked up into his brown eyes and saw tenderness there as they smiled at each other. He arranged her so that her hips were at the edge of the bed, dropping his mouth to her navel to dip his tongue in before trailing down over her pubic bone.

Reese gasped, grabbing Kili's long hair, as he slipped his tongue over her clitoris.

"All I wanted to do this evening was lay you on a table and suck you to orgasm before fucking you mercilessly in front of all of those people," he murmured, his lips brushing softly against her.

Reese moaned at his words as Kili continued to run his tongue between the folds of her legs, dipping into her center, before rising up to circle her clitoris again. Sliding his tongue over her center again, he dropped down further to circle his tongue around her puckered hole.

Reese's hips bucked, her head snapping up in surprise. She heard Kili chuckle as he continued to run his tongue over her tight entrance. "Don't worry," he said. "That's not what I have planned, for tonight."

Reese moaned at his words, her hips bucking greedily as he returned his tongue to her tight nub, occasionally dropping to lightly tongue the tight hole. The sensation was thrilling as his tongue lightly probed the band of muscle. Bringing his mouth to her clitoris again, Kili brought his hand to her center and slid a thick finger inside of her.

"Mahal, Reese, you're so tight," he groaned, never removing his mouth from her. Reese arched, groaning as Kili started to thrust his finger into her, his other massaging the tight entrance. The sensation was exhilarating as she felt her orgasm building again. Reese arched and cried out as Kili then curled the finger upwards against the tender spot inside her, continuing to plunge his finger into her while sucking her.

"Kili! I need you now, please!" s he cried.

She heard him laugh. "Soon," he murmured.

"I don't want to wait," she sobbed. "Now, please," Reese begged, groaning as he continued to tongue her clitoris, while kneading her puckered hole and thrusting his other finger into her center. When her orgasm came, it was harsh, her hips bucking hard against Kili's hands and mouth as she bore down on them.

Kili suddenly withdrew his hand from her and stood, aligning his hips with hers and quickly plunging into her. Reese wailed, deliciously sensitive from the orgasm she was still riding. She tensed her muscles around Kili, and he groaned, setting a feverish pace as he thrust into her. Without missing a beat, Kili kneeled on the bed and pulled Reese up to him as she wrapped her legs around him, clinging to his back as he thrust into her.

Reese felt her body quickly building to orgasm again. She pushed her face into Kili's shoulder, muffling her screams against his skin, biting down on him and making him hiss as her orgasm broke.

"Sorry!" she gasped, barely able to articulate the word.

"No," he groaned. "Do it again!"

Not wasting a moment, Reese moaned as sank her teeth into his skin, making him groan deeply. "Harder!" he growled, his head thrown back in rapture.

Fascinated by the effect she had on him, Reese bit his shoulder so hard that his skin broke. A strangled cry broke from his mouth as he dropping his head forward, spilling his seed deep inside her.

Kili collapsed over her, the only sound their gasps for breath. Reese closed her eyes to relish the feel and smell of him. Feeling himself grow soft inside of her, Kili withdrew from her and rose to his knees. They couldn't help grinning as they gazed at each other. He brought his mouth to hers, kissing her gently and lovingly. She wrapped her arms around him, stroking his back and waist, running her fingertips up his ribs.

Reese began to feel sleep overcome her and shivered in the cool air of the room. Kili rose from the bed, returning with a cloth. He knelt between her legs, seeing to her himself, before pulling the covers up around her.

"Thank you," Reese murmured as she watched him move around the room extinguishing candles.

Reese watched Kili return to the bed, the only light from the moon softly falling through the window. She drew back the covers for him to slide in beside her, enveloping her in his arms. Reese flattened herself to him, her stomach pressed against his as she tucked her head under his chin.

"Mmmmmm," Reese said, nuzzling against his neck. "You are so beautiful," she murmured.

His arm tightened around her as he pulled the covers up to tuck them snugly around their shoulders before they both drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>Kili and Reese slept soundly for several hours. Reese woke during the night and momentarily didn't know where she was. As her mind unclouded, she remembered the events of the evening and smiled, nuzzling against Kili's chest with her nose. She rolled over and drew his arm over her, snuggling back against his chest. He moaned as her movements woke him. "Sorry," she whispered.<p>

"Mmm," Kili said, his voice deep and contented. She smiled as she felt his hard erection against her back, and his hand drew her hips tight to his. Sliding into her again, they made drowsy love before drifting back to sleep.

The next morning Reese woke and felt Kili sleeping soundly beside her. Thinking she should probably return to her room before he woke, she began to wiggle toward the edge of the bed. She squeaked as she felt strong arms surround her and pull her sharply back to his chest. "Where are you going?" Kili asked drowsily. Reese saw concern in his eyes.

"I thought I would let you have your room back," Reese said.

"I don't want my room unless you're in it, just like this," he mumbled sleepily. Reese's heart leapt as he continued, "I want to make love to you over and over all day. I've wanted this for so long, and now that I have you, I'm not letting you go."

Reese knew felt her misgivings washing away. She felt completely relaxed and safe and snuggled into the alcove of Kili's body, basking in his heat as he tugged the comforter up to their chins. She breathed deeply, drinking in the scent of their bodies mixed together.

She turned into his chest so that she was facing him and brought her lips to his chest. Kili made a low happy noise as his arms tightened around her back. She kissed his broad strong chest gently, slowly moving to take one of his nipples in her mouth as her hand trailed down to gently stroke his already half hard cock.

Kili gasped as his eyes flew up, now fully awake. She smiled up at him mischievously as she continued to suckle his nipple, his cock quickly hardening in her hand as she stroked the tip with her finger.

"Oh you're a little tease!" Kili growled as he rolled himself over her, settling between her legs.

Dropping his head to kiss her, Reese turned away. "Mmm, I have morning breath," she protested.

"So do I," groaned Kili, capturing her mouth in his as he quickly slid his cock into her. Reese cried out, bringing her legs up to wrap around his waist as he rested on his elbows, tangling his hands in her hair. He moaned shamelessly as he thrust into her, setting a lazy pace. Reese smiled as she snuggled her head between his elbows, lazily rocking her hips up to meet his. Before long they gasped as they orgasmed together, Kili fully collapsing onto her.

"I don't think I've ever had this many orgasms in one day," Reese groaned in pleasure, relishing the feeling of Kili's weight on her body. She wrapped her arms and legs tightly around him, hugging him to her body. He moved down to rest his cheek between her breasts, his hair spread across her chest.

Her lust sated, she felt her stomach rumble. "Kili, we need to go get food, but I don't want to."

"I have something you can eat," Kili murmured, as he rolled onto his side and pulled her to him again.

Reese laughed. "I don't think that's enough for me. Surely you must be starving too? And we need a bath. We reek of sex."

"Then I'm never going to bath again," Kili grinned.

"In that case, I'm probably never going to sleep with you again," Reese grinned back.

Reese gasped as someone pounded on Kili's door. "Oi, Kili!" they heard Fili shout. "Get up! Breakfast!"

Reese stiffened as Kili swore. "Oh shit," Reese whispered. "Can we pretend we're not here?"

"I doubt it," said Kili, laughing at her over his shoulder as he got up from the bed, carrying a pillow.

"Kili!" Reese hissed, "I'm not wearing anything!"

He shot a grin at her over his shoulder as he reached for the door, holding the pillow in front of his hips. Reese quickly pulled the covers up over her head hoping the messy blankets would disguise that a body was tangled in them.

She heard Fili's low voice but couldn't make out what he was saying. Reese thought longingly of breakfast but didn't move. Reese heard scuffling and cursing and then suddenly someone ripped the blankets off of her. She shrieked, only just being able to hold onto the corner a sheet to cover her body with.

"Well hello, Reese," Fili grinned down at her. "I thought I heard your voice through my wall. How have you been enjoying yourself?"

"Fili!" Reese exclaimed, feeling her face turn crimson. "Give me the blankets back!"

"Maybe," Fili mused, holding tightly onto his end of the blankets as Reese tried to cover herself as much as possible with the end she was holding. "You know, I'd been wondering how long it would take for you to succumb to my brother's charms." He winked broadly at her before tossing his end of the blankets onto the bed. "You certainly made him work for it," he said, smiling over at Kili who grinned back at his brother happily.

Reese was mortified. "Jesus Christ, Fili." Fili only grinned at her more broadly.

He looked around the room before moving to the door. "I have to get out of here. It reeks of sex."

"Why do you think I didn't want to let you in?" Kili grumbled.

Fili laughed. "Are you sure you don't want to come down with me?" Kili threw his pillow at Fili, who only laughed more as he pulled the door shut behind him. Suddenly Reese had an idea, springing up from the bed and wrapping a sheet around her. She hurried to the door and pulled it open a crack to see if anyone else was around. Only seeing Fili's retreating back, she whispered loudly, "Fili!"

Fili turned, his eyebrows raised. "Can you please get us some food," she asked, a pleading look on her face. "I'm starving."

Fili laughed. "Been working up an appetite?"

"Please, Fili, I'll do anything if you please just bring us some food," Reese begged. "Or can you ask Michelle to?"

"Anything?" A mischievous glint entered Fili's eyes.

Reese shook her head. "You're just as bad as your brother!"

Reese felt Kili walk up behind the door and begin to playfully tug on her sheet. She slapped his hand away before turning to Fili again. "Please, Fili?"

"Mmm, I want you to beg like that for me," Kili said, loudly enough for Fili to hear him, who snorted. Kili took Reese's hand and pulled it to his already hard cock.

"Jesus Christ, Kili. Just give me a second!" Reese hissed, lightly slapping him away again.

"Ouch, that hurt!" Kili said in a wounded voice.

Fili laughed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. Anything particular?"

"Just lots of everything, please," Reese called as Kili pushed the door shut with a growl.

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><p><strong>AN: This was fascinating to write. It was hard to judge how well I was doing because there were so many parallels and contradictions with the other chapter. Removing Thorin changed everything because they were no longer responding to his presence in the room. I wanted to keep the structure the same, but even then there were little things that I would change when I pulled things over from the other chapters, like little adjectives, or sometimes even the order of the words, all because there was no Thorin.**


	16. Less than 24 Hrs in Rivendell

"Kili, I have to go," Reese gasped, her voice hoarse as she made a half-hearted attempt to wriggle out of his arms while his mouth clamped onto her nipple. She groaned, her skin overly sensitive from days of love making. She was deliciously raw everywhere, her lips noticeably swollen and skin red from his stubble.

"Mmmm," Kili said, moving up to her collarbone. "Stay here with me," he murmured. "You can go tomorrow."

Reese moaned as he began to kiss her throat, gasping as his ran his tongue along her jaw up to her ear. "That's what you said yesterday," she groaned as he caught her ear in his teeth. Her hands strayed down his ribs, resting on his waist and delicately stroking the sensitive skin there while he continue to lightly suck on her earlobe.

"Don't stop," she whispered.

He chuckled, "I thought you had to go."

"I do," she groaned, trying to pull away from him unsuccessfully. "But just once more and you have to promise to be quick."

He growled his agreement as he moved over her, thrusting into her in one fluid movement. Reese hissed in painful pleasure. "Oh god, how am I going to ride a pony for a whole day?" she moaned as his hips rocked into hers, capturing her mouth with his. She wrapped her legs around his as they clung to each other, grasping each others' skin as they moved together.

"Mahal," Kili groaned, "How am I going to get through three days without you?"

"It's only two nights," she gasped, raising her hips to meet his with each thrust. "Surely we can get through two nights."

She never heard his response as she cried out, her climax hastened by her over sensitive skin. He groaned as he spilled his seed deep inside of her. They lay tangled together before Reese moved to go.

"No," Kili moaned.

"Seriously, Kili, I can't keep putting it off. I'll be back before we know it." She knew her words were a lie and that the separation would be painful but she had to say something to make him feel better.

There was a sudden pounding at her door before Adam hollered, "Reese, get your ass out here. If we're going at all then we're not delaying again."

Kili moaned in protest but released her. She got up from the bed and quickly pulled on her travelling clothes before she could change her mind.

As she reached for her knife holsters, Kili said, "If leaving is what you want, do not strap those onto your thighs."

She grinned at his seductive voice, heavy with desire. "I'll save that for when I get back," she winked. She realized her error in in taunting him as his arms quickly reached for her. She danced away just in time before he was able to pull her back into the bed.

Kili collapsed back onto the pillows, sighing as he sulked slightly. "I wish we could come," he said.

"Me too," said Reese. Another lie. She had been relieved that Thorin had forbidden Kili and Fili from accompanying Reese to Rivendell, telling them that under no circumstances were they to have any contact with elves. Although Reese had been outwardly supportive of Kili in his desire to accompany her, she had secretly been glad to have the time to herself to think.

Since the wedding, she and Kili hadn't been apart for longer than two minutes at a time. At first, she had wanted nothing less than to spend every second with him. However, a gnawing feeling had begun to eat at her, making her feel uneasy about their future. She hoped that the trip to Rivendell would allow them to gain some distance from each other. They hadn't discussed what was going to happen when Thorin's company resumed its quest as Reese had staunchly avoided the topic whenever Kili broached it. Although she willingly entered into her relationship with Kili, the old voice was back in her heart, telling her to run, to maintain distance. Her insistence on going to Rivendell, when she could have cancelled the trip, was the doing of this voice.

Kili accompanied Reese to the courtyard where Adam and Borgia had saddled her pony and hitched their horses to the wagon they had loaded the day before. Fili met them there.

"Reese!" he said cheerfully. "It's been days since I last saw you!"

She grimaced at him, remembering how she and Kili had spent the days they'd cloistered themselves in her chambers, only emerging at night when no one was likely to be around. Even Fili had made himself scarce over the three days, only visiting with Kili briefly in Reese's main room.

Reese was surprised as Fili went to bring Reese her pony, holding it still while Kili helped her into the saddle. She winced as she settled onto the hard leather, feeling like she was sitting on a bed of nails. Fili smirked as he turned away, shaking his head. Kili looked concerned. "Maybe you shouldn't go," he said quietly.

"I'm going," Reese said, a little too harshly as she had been holding her breath waiting for the pain to pass.

Kili looked disappointed and murmured, "I just don't see why you can't wait until …" he trailed off, knowing how she'd respond if he broached the topic of his leaving for the quest in less than two weeks.

"Kili," she sighed, "we've been over this."

He dropped his head and nodded, and she felt a momentary pang of guilt for what she was putting him through. She shook it off, telling herself it was better to maintain at least some distance. She hoped she'd be able to gain some clarity in her thoughts during these two nights away.

She reached down and stroked his cheek. "Hey," she said. "It's only two nights. Just take things one day at a time, okay?" He nodded again, forcing a smile although his eyes betrayed his sadness and abandonment.

Fili came to stand beside Kili, lending his comforting presence to his brother but seeming otherwise detached from the scene. Reese held Kili's gaze for a moment longer before she smiled and stroked his cheek. "See you," she said, winking hoping she would lighten his mood.

He forced a sad smile. After an awkward moment, she decided it was senseless to prolong the inevitable and urged her pony forward, trotting out of the courtyard without looking back, the great door swinging shut behind them as Adam and Borgia fell in behind her. She ignored the pains shooting from her raw bottom. It seemed that even if she wanted a momentary reprieve from whatever she and Kili had that she was accompanied by a constant reminder of the divinity of their time spent together.

Adam called out to her after they'd gained some distance from the castle. "What you're doing to that dwarf is sinful." She didn't respond. "And are you sure you don't need a cushion to sit on? You look like someone shoved a poker up your ass." Although he was joking, his words held a sting to them that she recognized as a sign of his irritation with her. She maintained her silence as they crested the valley wall, watching the horizon warily. Even though it was only a day's ride to Rivendell, danger could befall them at every turn.

Each jolt from the pony caused her renewed pain, making her thoughts trail over the past few days. She smiled remembering the days and nights of glorious, wanton, divine, almost unending sex. They'd moved to Reese's quarters so that she could have her things, but had hardly emerged from there except at night when they made their way to the bath house or the kitchen. They couldn't keep their hands off each other and found their forays into the castle slowed by their frequent stops for sex. Michelle, who despite spending evenings with Bofur could still be found out and about at night, became tired of finding them in compromising positions around the castle. The first time she'd caught them had been in the kitchen where she found Reese laid out on a counter moaning wildly with Kili pounding between her spread legs. She was less gracious the second time when she and Bofur found them up against a wall in the corridor. "Seriously you two, you have two rooms, both of which I can actually see from here. Would it kill you to use one of them?" Bofur's laughter had followed them to Kili's door.

She'd been even less patient the third time when she found Reese straddling Kili in the baths, their cries mingling with the sound of the water splashing from the fountain. At the last memory, Reese rubbed her knees where she had badly bruised them on the submerged bench while riding him. Her body was a shameless sexual war zone.

Her mind strayed to how glorious the sex was. If shagging were an Olympic sport, they'd certainly win gold. Kili was everything a woman could hope for. In addition to being devastatingly handsome with his hard body, liquid eyes, and ready smile, he was endlessly energetic. His strong body was delicious and powerful, able to hold her off the floor or hovering over him for seeming endless periods of time. She was sure he never tired, always ready for more. Infinitely creative, he knew what he was doing and did it well, tirelessly eager to please. He could be demanding, harsh, and cold one moment and soft, sweet, and tender the next. She had to face it, Kili of the line of Durin was a sex god. She felt like she'd been his plaything for the last three days, and he hers as well. She fondly remembered some of her own creative explorations of his body.

It helped that she worshipped his very soul, a small voice said. Reese cringed to think of the time she'd spent hovering over him, watching him sleep, gazing at his dark features, delicately stroking his hair lovingly, trailing her finger over his proud nose, full lips, strong chin. He looked completely vulnerable in his sleep. She loved to cling to him, tucking her head beneath his chin and turning so that she slept curled up and ensconced in his warmth. They always slept tangled together, like puppies, not knowing where one of them started and the other ended. She loved sleeping this way, feeling safe and warm and cherished. She felt herself begin to miss him painfully and had to force herself to continue on towards Rivendell instead of turning about to return to Adelaide where she could rip off his clothing and pull him to her, her legs and arms tightly wrapped around him as he moved inside of her, never able to be close enough.

She was completely obsessed with him too. She wanted to know everything about him from his earliest memories, what he liked, disliked, flaws. She learned a great deal about his brother realizing she had underestimated the strength of their bond and their dependence on each other. She'd never seen a bond like theirs. The way Kili spoke about Fili was beautiful. They were so dedicated to each other and they seemed to know what was going on with the other without even speaking. She loved to hear Kili's stories about growing up, the trouble they'd get into, having Thorin as a pseudo father, his mother (who Reese felt more intimidated by the more she heard about this fierce princess), and weapons training. She couldn't get enough of his stories, hanging on every word as she soaked up every detail of his life.

She'd started to see the deep rooted insecurity behind his outward bravado, something she imagined few people were allowed to truly see. He never spoke of it directly, but it appeared in stories about his family, particularly Fili. Kili seemed to think everything about Fili was better than Kili. His skill as a fighter, calm demeanor, intelligence. Kili made it clear that he had no wish to ever be King Under the Mountain but that he did wish his uncle saw more ability in him. He felt he was seen as a trouble maker, the one who always got Fili into scrapes, even now as they approached full adulthood. She could see in him a desire to be taken more seriously, and her heart ached for him in his feelings of inadequacy. It came out in a desire to always prove himself, to perfect his skills. Despite his laughing exterior, the way he described his practice of archery and weapons sounded nearly obsessive. She imagined that had something to do with his skill in bed too. He was often not happy until she had reached a screaming orgasm several times before allowing himself his own. His need for love was always bubbling right near the surface, and it made her uneasy as she feared she'd hurt him in the time to come, knowing he'd feel it deeply. She ignored a pang of guilt in her stomach at the thought.

They arrived at Rivendell near supper, late because of her delay that morning. An elf approached them in greeting, leading them to stables where they could see to their horses. Adam and Borgia worked silently beside her. They hasn't spoken to each other all day since leaving the valley, and Reese was starting to feel as though she was being punished. In a flash of annoyance she turned to them. "What's with the silent treatment?" she asked with forced calm. At first she thought they weren't going to respond but Adam finally turned to her. "You're playing a selfish game," he growled. "You're sending him mixed messages, and it's hurting him."

She sighed. "I just needed to clear my head a bit, figure some things out."

"You're being an asshole," said Adam. "He's not going to be around forever, and then you'll be separated for god knows how long."

Reese's stomach lurched at his words, her worst fears playing across her mental screen in a series of terrifying images. Kili murdered by orcs. Killi beaten to death by goblins. Kili burnt to death by a fire breathing dragon. All horrifying images of terror and excruciating pain and loss.

Reese was distracted the entire evening. In the dining hall, she glanced around as she ate supper, looking at the elves. She always felt particularly inadequate around eleven women. Next to the tall slim elves, she looked short and round. They looked ethereal with their bright eyes and long hair while her short hair was tousled and messy from the ride. She pondered how unattractive she felt here compared to when she was wrapped in Kili's arms.

She was surprised by how restless she was. She normally enjoyed being out of the castle and had been looking forward to a few days away from Kili, but now all she could think of was how much she missed the feel of him against her skin, his arms wrapped tightly around her. She caught Lord Elrond gazing at her curiously several times. She smiled politely back before turning away.

Although she retired to bed early, Reese was unable to sleep, tossing and turning in her bed while her sheets tangled uncomfortably around her body. She felt lonely and cold, and her bed felt empty and hostile. She finally rose and drew on her robe, leaving her room to walk in the moist night air of Rivendell. She walked higher and higher until she reached one of the highest balconies, unsure exactly where she was. She rounded a corner and saw a figure surrounded by a softly glowing light and stopped with a gasp.

"Lady Galadriel," Reese said in a quiet voice. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to intrude." She had only met the Lady of Lórien once before and had felt greatly intimidated by her.

She turned to go back the way she came, but Galadriel's low voice stopped her. "Please, Lady Reese of the Futurians, come closer."

Reese paused before turning back to the elf, approaching her warily and stopping a few feet away from her. They stood looking into the night, watching the water gently fall from a stream that ran past where they stood.

Galadriel turned to consider Reese, who felt exposed under the intensity of her gaze. "A change has come to the Futurian people," Galadriel mused. "A change that has drawn your people out into the world and will change the fate of Middle Earth." She paused before continuing, "You have fallen in love ... with a dwarf." The emphasis on her last syllable conveyed a feeling of surprise and curiosity from the elf.

Reese stood silent, knowing she need not respond. It irritated her that she was unable to guard her thoughts against Galadriel, which was likely one of the reasons why Reese had only met her once before.

"And yet you hold yourself apart, believing in the wisdom of distance and isolation." Reese stared down at her clasped hands. "So befitting a Futurian," the elf added, making Reese look at her sharply, ready to defend her people but seeing the truth in the words. As a race Futurians appeared to be determined to isolate themselves from the world they lived in. Reese may not be physically isolated, but she was emotionally isolated.

"Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking that we are being wise if we avoid pain, if we stand outside of the fire of life, looking on, skirting the potential pitfalls. It's no coincidence that you've fallen in love with a dwarf, with a person who comes from a race that embraces the fire of life without hesitation. You need him in order to live fully." Galadriel's voice echoed in her ears.

"I hate it when you talk in my head," Reese said, annoyed. Galadriel smiled at her placidly.

"They will come to you, those who you need," Galadriel's voice continued.

"Who?"

"The ones you need. They will come to you to show you the way."

Galadriel said no more, and Reese understood that the conversation was over. The elf's voice echoed in her ears as she made her way back to her bed. She lay there for the rest of the night, still unable to sleep. At one point she began to doze as her arms stretched across her bed searching, only to jolt awake to find it cold and empty. She felt tears prickle her eyes wishing there were a way to quell the longing she felt.

At the crack of dawn, Reese pounded on Borgia's door until he opened it, a thunderous expression spread over his sleepy features. "Time to go," she said cheerfully. Seeing two male elves staring at her in annoyance from his bed, she called to them, "Sorry to interrupt!" before turning to Borgia. "We leave for Adelaide in one hour." She spun on her heel and strode off to Adam's door. She heard Borgia groan as the door shut behind her, not even bothering to ask her why they were leaving a day early after being in Rivendell for less than 12 hours.

Reese hissed as she swung up into the saddle, even more sore after the previous day's ride, but the stinging pain only served to spur her on, reminding her of her purpose. Reese set an impatient pace for them as they departed for Adelaide.

They arrived back at the castle at mid afternoon, the sun high in the sky. Reese wasn't sure where to start looking for Kili. She rode up the path to the meadow first but found it empty. She left her pony to Adam and Borgia and jogged into the castle, starting with her room, which she found empty. Kili's room. Fili's room. The bath house. All empty. She burst into the dining hall only to find it also empty and paused in the doorway, tapping her foot impatiently wondering where he, or any of the dwarves for that matter, could be, when she heard laughter coming from the kitchen. She nearly sprinted across the hall, skidding to a stop before the kitchen door. She heard singing and knew she had found them. She stopped, suddenly shy, and took a deep breath before swinging the door open slowly to take in the scene before her.

The dwarves were cleaning, if that was a good word for it. More like a choreographed dance accompanied by singing where they flung dishes and utensils around the kitchen in perfect rhythm. They must have taken over for the Futurians responsible for cleaning up after lunch, even though Reese had told them it was unnecessary to contribute.

Kili had his back to Reese and didn't see her at first. Fili stood facing her and paused when he saw her standing in the doorway. His eye lit up and his face broke into a slow grin. Fili's break in the rhythm of the dance made the entire company grind to a halt as the dwarves looked around in confusion. "Oi," called out Óin. "What's the hold up?"

Reese felt herself blush at the scene she was causing but only had eyes for Kili. She saw Fili make eye contact with Kili and nod towards the door. He turned in confusion, to see Reese standing there, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. Kili stood for a moment staring at her before he moved across the space between them in two long strides, kissing her so hard that she was lifted off her feet as he twirled her. They laughed as the dwarves all cheered, and Kili spun her around again. "You came back," he murmured into her hair. She nodded and held him to her, drinking him into her parched skin. They quickly exited the kitchen, letting the door swing shut behind them to muffle the dwarves' teasing laughter.

They didn't speak as they half ran to her door, stumbling as they tried to keep their lips locked together in their frenzied embrace. As they stopped, Kili hardened his kiss, pushing her against her the door to her quarters. Her body pressed against his, and her hands tangled in his hair, needing to be as close to him as possible. She couldn't get close enough. They'd been separated for less than 36 hours but it felt like it had been an eternity. They continued to devour each other's lips, their hands hungrily pulling at each other's clothing. She slid her hands under his tunic, trailing her fingertips over his abdomen and cursing as she met his belt. She withdrew her hands and fumbled with the belt, frustrated to be again thwarted by its complicated design. "You are getting a new belt," she gasped.

He laughed impatiently as he dropped his hands to help her. She drew his tunic over his head in one movement before dropping her mouth to his chest, sucking and biting the skin. He growled as he brought his hands to her bodice, quickly removing it from her body. She pushed herself into him as her fingers hooked the waist of his breeches, pulling his hips closer to hers, feeling the bulge of his cock press against her abdomen. She closes his eyes and moaned, his hands tugging her tunic up to expose her breasts. His thumb grazed her nipple before he dropped his head to capture it in his mouth. "Oh my god," she breathed. Her hands fumbling at the waist of his pants as she began to unbutton them.

Suddenly she realized where they were. "Kili!" she gasped. "Kili! We can't do this here."

"Why not?" he growled, pulling her to him roughly, lapping at her neck.

"Because we are in the middle of a busy passage in the middle of the day!" she hissed, trying to push him away. "I can't believe someone hasn't walked by already!"

Kili looked around them as though realizing for the first time where they were. She fumbled with the handle to her door. It seemed to take an eternity for her to get it open, and they began pulling the remainder of each other's clothing off as they fell through the door that Kili kicked shut behind them. Kili lifted her, pushing her against the wall, her legs wrapped around his waist. "I can't wait any longer," he growled as he thrust into her sopping center.

She cried out and buried her face in his shoulder as he pounded into her, setting a feverish pace.

"Oh god yes!" she cried, fisting her hands in his hair.

Kili dropped one hand to her clitoris and she gasped as a wave of pleasure shot through her body. He continued to kiss her as he thrust into her, her crying into his mouth with each movement. Reese clasped her hand over her own mouth as she screamed out her orgasm, her body rejoicing at being given what it had desperately needed and missed over the past day. Kili denied himself his own release, slowing his pace as she clung to him.

Reese's body sagged against his, and he carried to her bedroom, making her whimper as he withdrew from her to set her down in front of her dresser. He turned her back to him and pulled her roughly against his chest, considering their reflection in the mirror. "I want to see you come as I take you from behind," he growled into her ear. She melted at his words while his hand came up to knead her breast, harshly tweaking the nipple. He pushed her forward so that she bent at the hips, supporting herself by bracing her arms on her dresser as Kili thrust fully into her. He slowly withdrew before ramming into her again, setting a rhythm of slow withdrawal followed by a swift reentry. Reese hissed, feeling a mixture of pleasure and pain from the new angle, feeling him fill her completely as he rammed into her.

He increased his pace, wrenching strangled cries from her body each time he plunged into her. Her dresser was shaking as she shamelessly pushed back against him to meet each thrust, sending bottles and books sliding to the floor. She didn't even waver when she heard glass smashing, hungrily rolling her hips to meet his. Before she could reach her climax, Kili stopped all movement and pulled her up to his chest, arching her almost painfully against his chest while she was still impaled by him.

He brought his mouth to his ear, and she whimpered anticipating the feeling of his mouth on her skin. He stopped just before touching her, and she could feel his hot breath on her neck. "You came back early after needing so desperately to get away from me," he said, his voice barely audible.

Her eyes flew open to find his in the mirror. "No, Kili ..."

He interrupted her before she could deny his words, his black gaze piercing hers in their reflection. "Don't," he said. "Don't think that I don't see you, see the battle you're fighting inside of yourself." He pulled her even more tightly against him, and she whimpered as her back arched even further, unable to suppress the jolt of pleasure that shot through her when the movement made her shift slightly around his cock as it held her prisoner. "I don't pretend to know what exactly it is that you're fighting, but don't treat me as though I'm a fool who can't see it." He glared furiously at her in the mirror.

Her gaze held his, pleading silently for his forgiveness, for his understanding. She saw so many things in his eyes, hurt, anger, and sadness, as well as raw passion. They stood locked in the painful embrace for a moment before his face softened, regret flitting across his features briefly as he brought his mouth to her neck and rolled his hips into hers. She moaned at the sensation, clenching her muscles on his cock as the arch in her back pushed her bottom into his hips. He continued to hold her tightly against his chest as he thrust into her punishingly, his hand dropping between her legs while the other kneaded her breast. Reese's cries were strangled as she held his eyes in the mirror, silently pleading with him to give her release. Her climax crashed over her painfully as she cried out, his eyes watching her as he continued to pound into her while she bore down on his cock and hand. Only then did he allow himself his own release, cursing as his movements became more erratic before he brought his mouth to her skin, biting the base of her neck as his orgasm took him.

They collapsed onto her bed, gasping for breath as he drew her to him, tucking her head under his chin while she clung to him, her eyes shut as she heard the pounding of his heart. "I'm sorry," she whispered, his hand coming up to stroke her hair.

He nodded, and he cleared his throat before saying, "You came back to me."

She nodded, and they remained in silence, wrapped in each others' arms and lost in their thoughts. Reese considered the past day, again hearing Galadriel's words echoing in her mind. She wondered at their meaning, thinking she may never know what the elf was telling her.


	17. Final Goodbye

**A/N: Happy International Women's Day everyone. **Thank you again for your reviews and follows! I own nothing but the Futurians.****

**A note about Reese: I know Reese isn't coming across as the most likeable person right now. Hopefully she gets an opportunity for redemption soon. She can be impulsive and selfish, and when she's triggered those traits come out. I tried really hard to build these flaws in her because I wanted to avoid creating a Mary Sue (ironic considering I love Mary Sues, not joking). But Reese is who she is and isn't always the lovely person I know she can be. I'm at an impasse right now where I'm trying to decide how I want to spend the company's remaining time at Adelaide, which is nice because it has my imagination wandering.**

* * *

><p>Reese woke suddenly not knowing where she was. Looking around, she saw herself in a white hall, filled with a fine mist. She was barefoot, wearing jeans and a white blouse. She could feel the cool marble beneath her feet, and there wasn't a sound except that of her own breath. Because of the silence, she heard them before she saw them, tiny noises that indicated they were standing behind her.<p>

Reese turned and her heart stopped as she saw Scott standing before her, holding two raven haired children in his arms. She froze, not wanting to move in case the vision before her disappeared. Scott was strong and healthy, no evidence of the broken body he'd had when she'd last seen him. She knew the children were alive too because she could see their ribs expanding with breath. Their faces were resting agains their father's shoulders, black eyelashes grazing porcelain skin, red lips open as they took breath. The oldest has his arms around his father's neck. Reese stood gazing at them in stunned awe, not moving or speaking.

"You can touch them," Scott said. Reese's eyes locked with his, and she paused briefly before rushing to gather the boys into her arms. She fell to her knees, clutching them tightly to her chest. They felt so real and warm. She felt silent tears begin to run down her cheeks as she rubbed her face in their hair, holding them so tightly that she was almost crushing them.

"Mommy," the oldest said sleepily. "Not so hard. You always hug so hard."

She laughed, burying her face in his hair and inhaling deeply. The youngest snuggled into her, reluctant to wake. The oldest looked up at her. "Why are you crying, Mommy?" Reese laughed through her tears, unable to form words.

"Happy tears," their dad said. He came to crouch by the three, stroking the oldest's hair soothingly.

Reese looked up at her husband and, balancing her youngest on her knee, reached to touch his face. He turned his cheek into her hand, closing his green eyes momentarily. She brought her hand up to his black hair, barely streaked with silver, that he always wore just a little too long so that it fell playfully across his forehead, and ran her fingers through.

"Is this a dream?" she asked.

Scott shrugged. "Sort of," he said.

"How long do we have?"

He shook his head, reaching to take her hand in his. "Not forever, but long enough."

She didn't agree, thinking she could never have enough time with them. She just sat, holding her children and gripping Scott's hand tightly, tears continuing to pour down her face, until her oldest began to squirm.

"Mommy, put me down please," he whined.

She reluctantly let him go and watched him run off to play. "Stay where I can see you!" she called before looking around her in confusion. The scenery had changed completely and she was surrounded by green grass and lilac bushes on the edge of a small manmade lake. She recognized the place although they were alone whereas it was usually busy with people jogging and having picnics at the tables scattered on the grass.

"Is this ...?" she asked.

"The park by our house," Scott finished.

Reese gazed around in wonder, cuddling her youngest close. Looking to her right, she could see in the distance the trees that shielded the view of their house. She realized they were sitting in the exact spot they'd been in when she'd told Scott she was pregnant the first time.

It had been a cool day in late September, and they'd had their dog out for a walk. They'd stopped to play with the dog for a bit, and she realized she couldn't wait another moment to tell him. She'd wanted it to be special, but it had come tumbling of her in her eagerness to share her joy with him. He'd been so happy and had immediately started wondering which crib they needed to buy, what education plan to get, and then started listing baby names. She'd vetoed Emmett, Everette, and Jacob immediately because they were too popular. She didn't want her kid to be one of the eight Aiden's in the class, either. When she was little, it had seemed like every other kid was named Jennifer or Sean.

They hadn't lived in their house yet but had been in a small one bedroom apartment in an old building around the corner from the hospital near the park. They'd stayed in that apartment for two years after their oldest was born before being able to afford a house.

They loved the neighbourhood they were in and hadn't wanted to leave if possible and they'd been delighted to find the old pink two story house. It was a little bit run down but had been the only house in their budget in that neighbourhood, perfect for a family just starting out. They'd been living there for two years before the accident.

Reese sat, her cheek pressed against her sleeping son's forehead, while she watched her older son playing. She glanced at Scott and reached out again to touch him, trying to understand how this could feel so real. Scott sat watching her take in everything that was happening. Reese started to realize that this was much more than a dream. She remembered Galadriel's words, and whispered them to herself, "They will come."

"What was that?" Scott asked.

Reese raised her eyes to his. "This woman, she told me you were coming. I didn't know what she meant at the time, but she told me that the people I needed were coming. She knew that I would have this … dream." Reese gazed at Scott. He raised his eyebrows at her, and she was surprised to see he was being playful about it.

"You knew?" Reese asked him, her meaning implied.

He shrugged and smiled at her lovingly as he reached to brush a piece of hair from her forehead.

Reese stared around her, feeling that the more she understood the more confused she became. This was no dream, but she was sure it wasn't real. She was painfully sure there was no way that Scott and her children were talking to her in the park by the house where they'd lived. Of this she was positive. And yet Scott also was aware of what Galadriel had told her. Reese felt as though she only had two possibilities to explain what was happening. Either Scott and her children and their surrounding were a projection of her mind, or something deeply magical was happening that Reese had no control over. She had no control either way, really, but she wondered why this was happening.

"Does it matter?" asked Scott, following her unspoken thoughts. "Does it matter how we are here? You know that this is just for a short time, and you know that our being here has a purpose."

She sighed. "No, I guess it doesn't matter, although …." Another thought had occurred to her. Maybe Scott and her children were somewhere else, just like she was, suspended in time, unchanging. She looked at him sharply. "How are you here? I mean, are you in heaven, or something?"

He looked down and shrugged. "Or something," he said, smiling at her, almost infuriatingly, the way he did when he was teasing her. Then he was sad, "But no, we aren't somewhere where you can get to us, my darling." He moved forward to kiss her temple, and she breathed in the smell of him, the Old Spice aftershave he'd insisted on using even though she'd told him over and over how out of fashion Old Spice was, that only old men wore it. He'd always brushed her off, telling her that he liked what he liked. She'd stopped buying him new, hipper scents when she'd found them stockpiled, still in boxes, in the bottom drawer of their bathroom vanity. He liked what he liked.

"Okay," Reese breathed, glancing around. "Okay, we are here for a purpose, and it's not for me to find out how to get back to you." Her eyes prickled with tears again at the thought. She told herself to stop crying, that she wasn't going to waste anymore of this time crying.

She looked down at her youngest, taking in his features as he slept. She couldn't resist as she reached out to brush his cupid's bow lips, the touch making him poke them out to make a slight sucking motion. She'd only weaned him the month before the accident, and he'd still made sucking motions with his lips while sleeping. She brought her face down to his, nuzzling the skin where his nose met his cheek. This gesture woke him, and he gazed up at her with brilliant blue eyes. Neither of them had been able to figure out where his blue eyes came from, and many jokes were made by friends that this child was the milkman's son, despite his otherwise shocking resemblance to his father.

Her youngest grinned at her sleepily and raised his arms above his head to stretch. He snuggled into her, and she hugged him. While her oldest was boisterous and outgoing, her youngest seemed to think it was his job to provide hugs and cuddles and physical affection.

"Mom! Look!" the oldest called. She glanced over at him. He was hanging from the monkey bars by his knees.

"Hey! Get down!" she barked. He smirked before grabbing the bars and dropping to the ground like an agile cat. He'd always been daring and adventurous.

She wondered how he'd gone from being a helpless baby to a rambunctious little boy in such a small amount of time, before remembering even more time had passed since. If he were still alive, he'd be over 20 years old now.

Reese had often thought about how old her sons would be if they were still living. Her youngest would be 18, just finishing school, getting ready to go to university hopefully. The oldest would be there already. Maybe they'd go to the local university while still living at home. She'd wondered what their lives would have been like. Would they have been into sports? Art? Would they have been bullied? Would they have girlfriends? Boyfriends? She could spend hours upon hours riding on her pony across Middle Earth, lost in her dreams about what life would have been if that fateful day hadn't come.

Her youngest slid to the ground to play with the grass at her knees. He put several pieces in his mouth, and she didn't even have the heart to stop him, laughing as he made faces and pushed the green spears out with his tongue again. He grinned toothily as he glanced at her. He rose up to explore, making happy noises as he chattered to himself while toddling through the grass, bringing his parents blades of grass and rocks he'd found, saying "look mum" to her with each item. Reese took delight in exclaiming excitedly over every single thing he showed her. She grinned at how persistent he was, as though he had a job and was determined to do it well. She soon had a small pile of rocks and grass beside her.

She leaned to the side, resting her chin on Scott's shoulder and looked up at him. He looked down at her and smiled, nuzzling his nose against her forehead. "How did we make such beautiful children?" she asked.

He smiled. "They're beautiful, just like their mom."

"Awww, that's sweet" she said, "except that they both look exactly like their dad, little mini Scotts."

Mini-Scott #1 was doing summersaults around the grass. "Well, in looks at least, but I think that one got your energy," Scott said, laughing. "I've never been that busy."

Reese laughed nodding. Scott had been as mellow as they came, and their youngest took after him in personality, while the oldest had inherited Reese's adventurous and impulsive nature.

They sat contentedly watching their children play. Every now and then a boy would come in for a hug or to whisper in her ear before running off to play again. Reese savoured each touch, each moment to brush her lips against their skin and to feel their thin arms around her. She didn't want to miss a single moment, feeling this was her only chance. Not once in the 16 years since their death had Reese dreamt of her family. Not once. At first she'd been desperate to dream about them, and over time she had come to terms with the fact that she'd never see them again, even as projections of her subconscious.

"So that's quite the adventure you're having," Scott said, glancing over at her as he changed the topic.

She looked around for what he was referring to. "What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"You know, your life now," he said.

"Oh," she drifted off momentarily. "I guess you could call it an adventure, a reluctant one of course."

"You seem less reluctant as time goes by," he said, glancing at her.

She raised her eyebrows. "Yes," she said slowly, "I guess that's true." She felt a pang of guilt. "Is it terrible that I'm moving forward?" she looked at him guiltily.

"Not at all," he said, kissing her head again. "I wish you'd have done so sooner."

"It doesn't seem right for a mother to move on after, you know," she watched her boys chasing each other, the younger toddling after the older, screaming with glee. "I'm not convinced that I shouldn't be shrouded in black, covering my face with a veil, standing beside a grave from dawn to dusk, mourning."

Scott laughed, and she looked at him in surprise. She hadn't been trying to be funny. "I can't imagine your spending your days like that. You'd last five minutes."

"Well now that's an unfair thing to say, don't you think?" she said, hurt.

"I don't mean that your grief isn't real, it's just not how someone like you lives their life," he smiled at her and she was annoyed by his slightly patronizing tone.

"Someone like me?" she said, huffily.

"Oh, don't get your knickers all in a knot," he laughed, pulling her to him and messing her hair with his hand. "You haven't changed, have you? Still defensive and huffy."

She pulled away slightly but still leaned into him with a smile. "And you're still superior and insensitive," she countered.

"We were quite the pair, weren't we?" he laughed, settling his arm around her shoulders.

"Indeed," she said. "So what do you mean about a person like me living my life?"

"Well," he continued, "It's just not the Reese I know. You were full of life, laughing, smart, and excited, always looking for the next joke or game. I just can't see you wasting away, not being busy doing something."

"Well then it sounds like I haven't changed," she agreed.

"I never thought I'd see you knife fighting, though," Scott laughed.

Reese snorted, "Right?! How weird is that?" she laughed with him, shaking her head. "It's a different world, so different from here. The biggest conflict I'd gotten into here was that time at Costco on Christmas Eve when that woman stole my cart and threw all of my stuff into a pile right in the aisle."

"I remember that," he laughed. "Today, you'd have her gutted for a lesser offense."

"Oh, don't say that," she chided. "I don't 'gut' people for no reason. Frankly, I don't gut people at all"

"No, just poke at them a bit with a sharp blade hoping that they'll leave you alone."

"Well, ya, essentially," she agreed with a laugh and a shrug.

"I like this hard core you," he murmured.

She looked at him smiling fondly. "Really? You don't miss the wife who had your slippers waiting when you got home?"

"I don't ever remember your having slippers waiting for me," he said.

She glanced towards their house again. "Who do you think lives there now?" she asked. Scott followed her gaze and shook his head.

"I'd expected us to live there forever," he said sadly. "We'd retire there, and our grandchildren would come visit us, and we'd have big Christmas dinners and birthday parties."

They laughed, lapsing into silence. Their youngest came and settled into her lap, leaning against her chest to show her a stick he'd found. She played with his feet, making him giggle and squirm in protest before he got up and toddled away from them.

"So, I like him," Scott said, gazing at their son who was carefully examining a large leaf, the oldest running wide circles around them while swinging a stick and singing.

"Who?" Reese asked following his gaze. "Him?" she nodding at their youngest as he tasted the leaf and pushed his tongue out with a scowl. "Well it's a good thing we kept him then," she laughed.

"No, Kili," Scott said as he laughed along with her.

"Oh!" Reese said, surprised at the turn in conversation. She paused. "So, you like him, then," Reese repeated.

"Most of the time," Scott grumbled, and Reese bit her lip to keep from laughing. Few people, dead or alive, want to know the details of their spouse's sex with another person.

"So what do you like about him," Reese asked casually, gazing at her children as they ran by again, this time the oldest chasing the youngest.

"He's a good guy. He treats my girl well," Scott said.

"That's it? He's a good guy and treats me well?" Reese repeated, a mocking tone to her voice.

Scott shrugged. "Hey, I may be dead, but this isn't the easiest for me." He smirked. "I liked the old guy, too, but he wasn't the one. You needed someone with a little more energy and optimism."

"The old guy?" Reese asked, looking confused. "You mean Thorin? You're calling him old? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black." Scott was 12 years older than Reese, which has been a bit scandalous when they'd met when she was 22.

"Whatever, anyway, this guy is younger. It's nice to see you with someone younger for a change."

"Why?" Reese asked.

"So you don't dry up and become all crotchety and bitter."

"Seriously?" Reese wasn't sure if he was joking or being serious. Sometimes he made jokes like this, but there was usually a message behind it.

"Seriously," he said. "This young guy, Kili, he pushes you out of your comfort zone, which is good. You've cut yourself off, and that makes me sad. He's not letting you do that. The old guy …"

"Stop calling him that."

"… didn't mind leaving you alone to wallow," Scott continued.

"Jesus, Scott, wallow in what?" Reese was a bit annoyed, despite soaking up every second of her time with all three of her boys. She didn't always have patience to wait for Scott to get to the point, and he'd always been one to take his time spitting his thoughts out.

"I just think he's good for you, is all. He's not broken or sad or depressed. He'll remind you how to enjoy life, how to live again." He looked around as though searching for words. "I know you, you're pushing him away, probably because being with him makes you do things that freak you out. But it's good. I think you need to stop being so defensive and let him in. And you need to stop punishing yourself!" He almost shouted the last words in glee as he finally managed to make his point.

Reese took a few minutes before responding, avoiding his comment about her punishing herself. "Frankly, I think he's too good, Scott, and it makes me nervous," Reese said, looking at him directly for the first time since he'd broached the topic.

"Of course you do," Scott laughed sarcastically.

"What's with the tone?" she asked.

"Well, sometimes you can be a bit pessimistic, waiting for the penny to drop, so to speak."

She rolled her eyes. "Not this again."

"You know it's true. You were always going on about how things were going to be terrible. Christmas with my family in Mexico, terrible. Being a bridesmaid in your sister's wedding, terrible. Our getting married in May means it's going to rain through the whole ceremony. It was always something. You were worrying away, nervous about the potentially disastrous outcome, and most of the time it worked out great!"

"That trip to Mexico didn't work out great. I still haven't forgiven your mother for that comment she made about my stretch marks in my bikini," Reese grumbled.

"Okay, bad example, but you get the point." Scott grinned, side stepping the in-laws trap, before adding, "You looked hot in the bikini, stretch marks and all." He grinned down at her, his green eyes glinting. Reese looked away smiling, surprised that he could still make her blush after all these years.

"Reese, it's okay to move on and to fall in love again," Scott said, drawing him into her.

She sighed, feeling tears in her eyes agin. "I know," she said. "I guess I know that. It's just, what if something happens? To him? What if I lose him again?" Then in a whisper she added the words she hadn't ever said to anyone, "What if I do something to hurt him?"

Scott looked down at her. "It wasn't your fault, Reese."

"Actually, it was," Reese said. She'd never told anyone the circumstances of the car accident that night, not even Michelle. She spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "I was going too fast."

She dropped her head, silent tears dropping from her cheeks and nose onto her knees, which she'd drawn up to her chest. She was grateful that her boys were busy laughing and playing with each other.

"I'm so sorry, Scott," she said, desperately trying to control the pitch of her voice.

Scott took her hand and squeezed it, leaning over to kiss her hair. "I know you were going fast, but it wasn't just that. How were you to know?"

Reese just shook her head. They sat leaning into each other, Scott rubbing her back reassuringly as he waited.

"You need to forgive yourself, my love, just a little. You don't have to pretend that none of this ever happened and that you are the same person you were before you lost us. We'll always be with you. But I need you to forgive yourself and to stop being so scared. You need to stop pushing this guy away. You'll regret it so much if you do, and I'm worried that you're not seeing that. You keep doing it, and you need to let that go, that defensiveness and that fear. You're doing it because you don't want to hurt him or yourself, but it's hurting both of you."

"It's selfish to forgive myself," she said quietly

"What you're doing now is selfish," he said sharply, uncharacteristically to the point.

Reese suddenly growled with frustration. "It's not that easy! Everyone is telling me to make room for this, to live life fully, not to shut out love. They make it sound so easy!"

"So work hard then!" he said. "Why does it need to be easy, and why do you need everyone to understand? You know it's hard work, so do it. It wasn't easy with us! You're wasting your life otherwise. And what have you go to lose, Reese? It's just life after all. What do you need? For me to release you, to give you permission to move forward and allow yourself to be happy and to take risks?"

"It's not just that and you know it," she said, keeping her voice low. "What if something happens to him? What if he dies too? Then I'll have to go through all of that again."

"Everyone dies, Reese."

She rolled her eyes at the cliché statement.

He paused before continuing. "I just want to see you live a life with meaning. Your boys want to see you fulfilled and not wasting your life. This is your chance, and you need to take it."

He drew her into his arms. "Do it for me, please?" Despite herself she smiled. She'd never been able to resist him when he asked her in that tone.

She rested her head against his chest and sighed. "Okay, I'll think about it."

"Okay," he smiled, knowing he'd won.

They sat for what seemed like hours watching the boys play, leaning into each other. After awhile the boys came and cuddled with them, drifting off to sleep. Reese soaked up every second, stroking hair, listening to breath, smelling skin, brushing her lips over cherished noses and cheeks and fingers, nuzzling into soft sticky palms of hands.

She knew the time had come as the sun began to set. The boys were still sleeping, resting on Scott in much the same position they'd been when Reese had first seen them. Reese stood before Scott, and her tears began to flow.

"I don't want to go," she said, wrapping her arms around the three of them and holding them tightly.

"I know," he said, his voice thick. She looked at him, taking him in, and leaned in, kissing his lips for the last time. He smiled into the kiss, and her tears were on his face when she pulled away. She turned to each of her sons, brushing her lips over their cheeks and nuzzling her nose into their hair one last time. She felt a sob building in her chest.

"I want to come with you," she wept. "I want to be where you are to hold you and be their mother again."

"You'll always be their mother, Reese, but you can't come. There's nothing there for you now. Your future lies on a different path."

She nodded, tears blurring her vision and she hastily brushed them away so that she didn't miss seeing them. Slowly, the scene around them began to fade, replaced again by the white marble hall and mist. Scott and the boys remained a moment longer before they too began to fade. "Reese, I love you," Scott said, before disappearing into the mist.

"I love you too!" Reese cried and fell to her knees, holding her face in her hands, sobbing. She didn't want to wake up but instead wanted to stay in this between world forever where she didn't need to face another day without them.

Reese woke in her bed with a start, Kili's silent sleeping form beside her, his breath steady and even. Hearing rain falling outside her window, she felt tears on her cheeks and rubbed them away with her hand.

Reese lay in her bed for a moment, the events of the night playing over in her mind. Suddenly she rose from the bed and threw on a nightgown and her robe. Grabbing paper and quill, she wrote a hasty note and left it on her pillow for Kili to find when he woke. Turning, she exited the room into the hallway, shutting the door silently behind her.

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><p><strong>AN: I was going to give Scott glasses but realized then he was only missing his lightening shaped scar and didn't want to have to list this story as a crossover. I think updates will most likely come every 7 - 10 days from now on. That schedule seems to work with my new job, etc. **


	18. In the Rain

**A/N: I've felt like my chapters are too long, and I notice when I read FF that I like chapters to be around 1500 words because I can usually read them quickly between other tasks and don't have to go back to find my place. Kurem, who writes amazing and moving whump that you should check out, encouraged me to try shortening my chapters as well. This change will allow me to update more frequently too. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed and messaged to tell me how much the previous chapter moved them emotionally. What a wonderful compliment. Also, thank you to kkolmakov for her comments about my woman focused writing. It's completely intentional, and I am so pleased that it came out. Thanks also to SilverPenguin87 for her reassurance when I was having character development anxiety!**

**I have to apologize for the infrequency of updates lately. My new job is stressful for me, although also amazing. It's the ultimate **

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><p>Kili woke the next morning and felt the bed cold next to him. He was unaccustomed to Reese's being gone when he woke and rose up looking for her. Glancing around he saw her note on the pillow, his heart sinking as he reached for it, fearing she was gone again.<p>

The note was brief. "Kili, I couldn't sleep. Come find me at the top of the West Tower when you're up. Don't worry, nothing is wrong. Take your time." The words "don't worry" had been underlined twice.

Kili glanced out the window to see the rain falling heavily outside. The previous day had been hot and humid, and the rain wasn't unexpected. She'd said not to worry but he felt a twinge of apprehension in his stomach. Rising from the bed, he threw on his trousers and tunic. He barely missed stepping in the glass from the shattered jar that fell to the floor the previous day and paused to pick it up. Not bothering with boots he strode from the room and jogged to the stairs leading to the tower.

Coming to the top of the stairs, Kili strode through the doorway leading to the roof of the tower and glanced around for Reese. She stood at the edge of the tower, leaning with her hands braced on the wall as though deep in thought while she gazed out over the valley. She was wearing nothing except a sleeveless dove grey gown that fell to her bare feet and clung to her body, entirely soaked from the rain. She wasn't even wearing her robe, which he saw tossed over the wall at her side.

"Reese!" he shouted, alarmed to see her standing in the rain with nothing but the thin material to protect her. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled as he quickly moved towards her, pulling her into his arms.

"What are you doing?" he said in dismay."You'll catch your death."

She drew her arms around his waist, leaning her cheek into his neck. "I'm okay, really. It's actually not too cold."

He looked down at her, unease playing across his features. She reached up to kiss him lightly. "Really, I'm okay," she smiled. "I like the rain, but this is nice," she snuggled against him. "I hope you weren't worried." She looked up at him, clearly concerned that she'd made him anxious with her disappearance.

"I was a little worried," he said, stroking her cheek. "Let's get you inside."

She shook her head. "I'd prefer to stay out here, if you don't mind. It's not coming down too heavily now, and I see a break in the clouds forming. I bet it'll stop in a minute. Do you mind?"

Kili looked at her, unease in his eyes as he said, "I don't mind, but I'm worried about you."

Reese smiled at him, placing a reassuring hand on his wrist. "Really, I'm fine."

Pausing for another moment, he nodded his head and drew her back to him, his cheek resting against her wet hair. "I don't like waking up when you're not there?" he murmured.

"I know," she said, resting her cheek against him. "Neither do I." She held him tightly, grateful for his warmth and relishing the feel of his strong body wrapped around hers.

"What are you doing up here, in the rain?" he asked.

"I had a bad dream," she said, nudging him so he'd move to a bench by the wall. They could see blue sky peaking through a break in the clouds on the horizon.

He looked down at her sharply. "You should have woken me," he said, pulling her to him again. She smiled at his desperate need to care for her, liking how it felt to be fussed over like this.

"I would have, but I needed some time to think," she said. "I find it peaceful to come up here."

He looked down at her, his eyes searched her face anxiously. "Are you sure you're not upset from your dream? Is there something I can do?"

"I'm _fine_," she said, laughing as she emphasized the last word. "But are you sure you're okay?" she asked. "You seem a little stressed." She smiled up at him, hoping to ease his nerves with her teasing.

He sighed. "I just am worried about you. You're soaked through, standing in the rain without anything to protect you. And I'm just worried ..." he trailed off, looking uncomfortable.

"You're worried that my odd behaviour means that I'm going to make up another reason to push you away," she finished for him. She smiled as his eyes caught her, revealing the truth of her words. She'd never spoken to him this directly before, and she raised her hand to his cheek as her brown eyes held his. "That was unfair of me to do that to you, and I'm sorry."

He nodded absently, his brow furrowed. "Was it something I did? That made you have the dream?"

"What?" she exclaimed. "No! Of course not! What makes you think that?"

"Well, I reacted ... badly," he murmured.

She laughed, "I obviously didn't mind." He looked at her anxiously, his hand raising to caress the bite mark he'd left on her neck in his anger. He appeared to be becoming more rather than less distressed.

She raised both hands to grasp his face, hoping to make him hear her. "Kili," she said firmly. "Nothing is wrong. Everything is fine. You haven't done anything wrong." He looked like he didn't believe her, and she added, "And I'm not going anywhere."

Her eyes held his. She seemed calm to him, more calm than he'd ever seen her. Usually when they were together she was nervous and antsy, as though ready to bolt any moment. He allowed her to move him towards the bench and sat down, pulling her into his lap and holding her tightly.

"I thought you were the one always making everyone worry," she murmured, stroking the back of his head soothingly.

He laughed shortly. "I guess it's my turn to worry."

She shifted so that she was leaning back into him as they sat looking out into the valley, her arms tangled in his, which were wrapped around her waist. The rain was only a light drizzle now, and in the distance the sun had broken through the sky. Wide bands of sunlight reached down to the valley, illuminating the lush green hills and the silver river winding over the valley floor. The break in the rain appeared unlikely to last long as they were surrounded by dark grey clouds on all sides. Reese began to feel slightly cold but remained comfortable with the heat of Kili pressed against her.

Kili broke the silence first. "Are you going to tell me what you things you had to think about?" She was glad to hear that he sounded calmer.

"Yes, I am actually" Reese said, surprising him. She turned her head, resting her chin on her own shoulder so that she could lean her forehead against his cheek as his nose grazed her wet hair. "I'm sorry for acting the way I did, Kili."

He tightened his arms around her. "You told me that already, Reese," he murmured gently.

She nodded. "I know, but what I mean is that I'm sorry for how I've been behaving ever since I met you."

He looked up at her, unable to hide the surprise he felt at her words, as she continued. "I've been struggling with some difficult feelings and memories that made me do everything I could to avoid you."

He stroked her arm absently with his thumb, dispersing the rivulets of water there. He was suddenly wary, sensing they were crossing into uncharted territory for them. He felt he was about to get the answers to many of the questions he'd avoided pressing her with, intuitively knowing that she would scare at any more intimacy than she was willing to allow him. He'd always let her lead them in how much she was willing to share, never asking her for more than she was offering. "What do you mean?" he said carefully.

She paused. "How much did Thorin tell you about my life before I came to Middle Earth?" She and Kili hadn't spoken of her previous life at all so she needed to know what he was already aware of.

"Not much," he said."Only that you had a husband and that he ... died," Kili finished, the last word hanging heavily between them.

Reese nodded. "And did he tell you that I had children?" she asked. She turned her head slightly to watch his profile out of the corner of his eye, wanting to gauge his reaction.

Kili couldn't hide his surprise as he turned trying to look at her. "No ..." he trailed off. "I had no idea." He finished, looking stunned before asking carefully, "Are they ...?" Reese nodded as she closed her eyes against her pain.

"Oh Reese," Kili said as he tightened his arms around her.

Reese waited for a moment before rising to her feet, feeling Kili's arms tighten around her. "I'm not leaving," she said as she turned to face him so that she stood between his knees, placing her hands on his shoulders. "I just realized that I want to be looking at you. It was awkward being unable to see you." He nodded as he drew her closer to him, his arms wrapping around her waist as he tilted his head to look up at her.

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><p><strong>AN: I've decided Reese is from the Prairie Provinces in Canada where she's accustomed to three months straight of -50 degrees Celsius with the wind chill, therefore not minding being cold in the rain. This is my way of redirecting my feelings about the Saskatchewan weather this year. Pfff what's a little rain compared to that? ;)**


	19. Cold Fear

"I didn't know you were a mother, Reese," he said, looking up at her. "I'm so sorry for ..." He didn't finish. They both knew there were no words to convey the loss she'd had. She brought her lips to his forehead and kissed his hairline in gratitude to show him she understood his meaning.

She continued her story, needing him to understand who she was before she told him what she ultimately needed him to know. "Before I came to Middle Earth, I was married, to a man named Scott. He was ... the love of my life." She looked at Kili as she said this, holding his gaze. A moment of unease flashed across his face, but he nodded for her to continue.

"We had two little boys," she said. "They were quite young, and only two years apart. And I loved them so much. God, I loved them. They were the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to me, and I loved every moment of being their mother, right from the beginning. I _loved_ being pregnant so much, carrying them within me. I didn't want to give birth because I wanted to keep them safe inside of me forever." Kili watched her smile at the memory. His eyes dropped to her abdomen, and he brought his hands to run over her stomach, longingly imagining her round with child.

"Life was perfect," she went on. "Our boys were happy and healthy and wanted for nothing. Scott and I were in love. We had a wonderful life full of joy and laughter. It was almost too perfect, actually. Looking back, it was like we were living in a fairy tale."

She stopped for a moment, appearing to be lost in her thoughts, reimagining the events of that night.

"So where I come from we have these things called cars, which are like wagons without horses, but they can go really fast, faster than you can shoot an arrow, for example." She looked to Kili to see if he understood. He'd been told enough about the Futurian technology that she didn't need to get into too many details.

"So one night, we were returning from dinner with my parents. I was driving because Scott was tired. He'd had a long week at work, and he and the boys were all sleeping." Her face became distant, and Kili knew she was picturing the event in her mind. "It had been a warm winter, and it was raining out. I was driving fast. Too fast. I was overconfident. I remember mocking the other drivers as I passed them, being annoyed with people on the road who were overcautious and didn't know how to drive in a little bit of rain."

She swallowed, looking at him again. Although she'd said many things he might not understand, he appeared to have followed her. "So when it rains like that in the winter, if the temperature drops suddenly, the water turns to ice as soon as it hits the ground, creating an impossibly slick surface." Kili nodded solemnly. He'd seen this happen himself.

"Well, that's what happened that night. As I rounded a corner that followed the edge of a ravine, the road turned to sheer ice." She looked down at her hands on his shoulders, absently playing with his hair there. "I lost control, and the car went off the edge of the road, over the safety rail because I was going so fast, and plummeted 100 meters to the bottom. The car landed on the back corner, crushing Scott and the two children, and somehow I wasn't hurt at all."

Kili watched her face in horror. Even though he didn't know exactly how cars worked, he knew the chances of surviving a fall like that were almost impossible.

Reese continued as she began to tremble. "Their bodies were so broken. And there was nothing I could do ..." she trailed off again. Her face was pale and pinched, ridig as the images and sounds ran through her mind.

She looked up at him. "They were so little, Kili. They were so little, and they didn't understand. They kept crying for me, and I could turn to see them and I could reach to hold them but I couldn't get them out of the tangled mess. I held them the best that I could. They were screaming my name and crying, not understanding why I wasn't doing anything to help. Why I just sat there staring that them as they screamed and cried." She swallowed. "As they died," she finished, her voice barely audible. "I sat there and watched them die, and I did nothing. I couldn't find my phone. I screamed and screamed for help, but I knew no one could hear me." Her voice trailed off and she stared over Kili's head. She wasn't crying. She had a dead look in her eyes as she stared into the distance.

"Scott died soon after," she continued, in a flat voice. "No one came, but it didn't matter. They were gone." Reese stood in silence, remembering the horror of the moments that followed her realizing that her children and husband had just died before her eyes.

"After a long time, I started to walk and walk. Maybe I was searching for help, I don't know. I didn't know where I was going. The ravine was too steep to get to the road, so I walked through the bottom. I was exhausted and clumsy, and I stumbled over a root, hitting my head on a rock and passing out." She looked down at him. "When I woke up, I was here."

The calm in her voice sounded eerie to Kili, but he'd seen this before. He'd seen the calm defense people had when they were faced with such loss, such trauma, that there was no way they could cope with the emotion of the memory.

"I wanted to die," she said. "Not a day went by for five years that I didn't want to die. I used to stand at the top of this tower, every day, willing myself to jump over the edge." She shook her head slowly. "But I didn't. Some Futurians do, you know." She glanced down at Kili, who looked uncomfortable at the thought. "They just don't want to go on, having lost so much with being ripped out of their lives and dumped here. But I couldn't do it. It made it worse, in a way, that I could cause my family's death but I couldn't do the same to myself, give myself what I deserved, a painful agonizing death like they'd had." She almost spat the words, and Kili drew back at the venom in her voice. "Maybe there was a part of me that thought I deserved to go on living in excruciating agony, carrying the weight of what I'd done. That I deserved to be tortured."

Kili's arms tightened around her, and he winced as she said in a harsh tone. "You want to tell me that I didn't do anything wrong, don't you? You want to make me feel better." She almost glared at him, furiously. "Don't bother." She shook her head at him, a cold look in her eyes. "Don't waste your breath. I know what I did. I know that it was a mistake, but I know that it was my fault, and I'll never let that go."

She looked away from him, her gaze furious as she stared into the distance. He waited, wondering if she was going to continue, uncomfortable with the change in her tone. "And then one day Adam reached out to me, and he told me about his story, the loss he'd had. Julie did the same. eople had tried to reach out to me in the past, but I'd brushed them off. I was so mean. But there was something about Adam especially. I think maybe he has Reese-specific body armour," she laughed and shrugged. "And so I started to move forward, to build a life here.

"Adam had been going on trading excursions with Borgia, and they took me with they. Adam was always at me, always pushing me to do more, to get involved with the community, to talk to people. And slowly I started to come back to life, I guess. I felt guilty, all the time, of course, for building a life when my family had been robbed of theirs. But Adam kept at me, and I started to feel like I had a purpose, like I had worth. Like people were depending on me.

"Then, five years later, I met your uncle," she laughed, "and that helped. We had so much in common. It was so nice to talk to someone other than a Futurian about it. It made me feel like I was starting to belong here." She looked down at Kili and smiled, but her smile hardened as she said her next words, holding his gaze.

"But I always swore that I would never fall in love again, never have a family, would never put myself in the situation to have that happen again, where I could do that to someone, put them in danger and rip their lives away like that."

She stared at Kili coldly, and he felt himself draw back, a heavy stone in his heart.


	20. Love

**A/N:** **Hey everyone, thank you for your reviews and follows. I got a guest review that I wanted to thank here because I couldn't respond directly. Things are definitely getting tense! (Shocker, I know.)**

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><p><em>"But I always swore that I would never fall in love again, never have a family, would never put myself in the situation to have that happen again, where I could do that to someone, put them in danger and rip their lives away like that." She stared at Kili coldly, and he felt himself draw back, a heavy stone in his heart.<em>

Reese's words echoed in Kili's head as he a heavy premonition settle over him.

She crossed her arms over her chest, and raised her chin. He wavered under her cold stare, felt it piercing his heart. She looked angry, almost furious as she shook her head at him, speaking the next words in a low angry voice. "And then you walked through my fucking door."

She spat the words as she stood before him. "You changed every fucking thing I had worked so hard to create for myself. You turned everything upside down, ruined it all. I didn't even realize in the beginning how much you had ruined everything. I began to crumble, to fall apart. Every time I met you it was agony for me. Pure, piercing agony."

Kili began to pull away from her, moving as far away on the bench as possible. He felt the cold stab of fear in his heart begin to spread to the rest of his body as she flung her words angrily at him, wounding him with every syllable.

"And you just kept coming at me," she continued, staring into the distance again, seemingly unaware of the effect she was having on him, the terror and pain he was feeling. "You were everywhere. In the kitchen, the in forest, in my room. I couldn't get away from you!" She growled the last words angrily.

"And then even when you weren't there, Thorin was at me, Borgia, Michelle, the elves even! Even my own husband. Everyone, everything was pushing me towards you, and it was unstoppable. And slowly you wormed your way into my defenses, broke them down, leaving me vulnerable and exposed." Her voice rose as she exclaimed over how intrusive his presence had become to her.

Reese didn't seem to have noticed that Kili had moved away from her now, sitting at the end of the bench, that he was staring over the wall of the tower, his hands braced on the bench, pain and torture on his as he forced himself to remain to allow her to attack him. The rain had begun again, and he was grateful for the downpour that masked the tears he suspected had begun to fall down his face.

She stood, her arms crossed, shaking her head. "And now here you are. What am I supposed to do with you now?" He knew the question wasn't for him, and he didn't answer. He didn't think he would have been able to if he'd been asked.

She stood in silence, and he wondered if she was done or how much more of this he could take. He felt rooted to the bench, unable to leave, despite the poison she was hurling.

"What am I supposed to do with you now?" she repeated in a low vulnerable voice. "Because I love you," she finished.

They sat in silence as she'd finished talking, when Kili realized she might have said something important. When he realized her voice had softened as she'd said the final words. He'd stopped listening in order to protect himself from her onslaught, stealing himself against the waves of fury, fighting against the devastation that had been rising within himself.

He straightened as his brow furrowed, trying to verify in his memory that the words were what he'd thought he'd heard. He risked looking at her face to see if the icy rage was still etched on her features and found she was looking at him. She looked resigned, as though she had come to accept a sad truth. Then she smiled wryly and shrugged. "I love you," she said. "And there's nothing I can do to stop it. Trust me, I've tried."

She shook her head in humored irritation as she continued. "I love every god damn thing about you from your face to your hair to the way you snore to how hard you try to please me to that god damn fucking grin you get when you're teasing me. And I've hated it." She laughed as she said these words.

"And then it finally got through my thick head that there was no point. There's no point in resisting, and that I need to move forward, that I can't keep punishing myself, and that there's more to life than this empty existence I've created for myself. Because I love you, and I need you. And I want a future with you, if it's possible that you might love me too." She closed her eyes as though tired, resignation in her voice.

Kili sat in stunned silence trying to gain his bearings after the emotional whirlwind that he'd just withstood. Suddenly, he lunged to his feet and turned, pulling her hands into his. He looked into her eyes and saw the hope and fear there. He grasped her face in his hands and stared at her earnestly. "Reese, I love you too!" he exclaimed, realizing she was scared that he didn't love her as well.

Reese gazed up into his eyes, searching there for the truth behind his words as she repeated slowly and apprehensively, "You love me too?"

Kili nodded as he paused before bringing his forehead to hers and whispering, "Since the moment I saw you."

Reese brought her hands his face as she stared at him searchingly. "Really?" she whispered. He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her as he buried his face in her hair, unwilling to let her go. "Really," he murmured.


	21. Upside Down Toes

As usual, Reese awoke before Kili. They were both lying on her bed, completely naked, without a blanket or pillow in sight. They were both lying on their stomachs, except her head was at his feet. She giggled as she examined his large Dwarven toes, remembering them in her mouth as she tickled them with her tongue and the noises he'd made in response.

Reese yawned as she rose up to commence her morning ritual of hovering over Kili's magnificent body, examining him in his vulnerability and taking note of the damages they'd inadvertently inflicted on each other the day before. She noticed a bite mark on the right side of his bottom and trailed a finger carefully over it, moaning softly at the memory of its creation.

The dwarves had been training in the meadow, and Reese had been delayed in joining them. When she'd arrived, Fili and Kili had been sword fighting, shirtless as the day was particularly warm. Reese had halted, still under cover of the trees, as her mouth had gone dry at the sight before her. She'd watched, mesmerized as Kili prowled around the clearing, stalking his brother with a predatory grin. Although Fili was the better swordsman, Kili was clearly also powerful and dangerous with a blade and relished the hunt and strategy of the spar. Reese had pounced on him as soon as she'd been able to get him alone, ferocious in her desire for him at that moment, to catch the rivulets of sweat with her mouth to savour the salty flavour.

Reese sat considering Kili's delicious ass and felt her head drop as she fought a desire to bring her mouth to it again. She shook her head, reminding herself that this was not her current purpose. She turned to consider him, stretched on his stomach, his face turned away from her with his glorious hair spread like a halo around his head.

Moving to his side, she tried to wrap herself around him, but being on his stomach made it hard to curl into him. Finally, she found herself lying on top of him, spread across his back with her arms and legs lying over his. She loved being able to feel the rise and fall of his breath into her chest as she snuggled between his shoulder blades. However, she was unable to remain still as she was fully awake now. She rose up to consider his soft hair spread over the pillow.

It was dark, a very deep rich brown, and where some people with dark hair may have only lighter strands of red or gold in their hair, he also had darker strands of almost black. Most dwarves' hair was thick and course, but his hair was quite fine, causing the dark locks to tangle easily and giving him perpetually a wild and carefree look. He clipped it back so that it remained out of his face, and spent time every evening tending to it, carefully unclipping it is so that it fell freely as he combed it, temporarily taming it into submission around his shoulders.

She adored his hair. She loved to bury her nose in it, inhaling the musky scent of him that was captured there. At times like this, when his hair had been combed and out of the wind, it lay sleek and shining around his shoulders or on the pillow, and she could spend hours stroking it, running the ends over her lips. She moved from Kili's back to beside him again, snuggling down so that she could rest her cheek and nose in the exquisite fan of hair. She moaned softly as she made contact with it. She'd never been drawn to long hair on men in the past, but she found Kili's hair particularly tantalizing.

She knew that hair was important to dwarves, and she felt like she was engaging in a particularly intimate gesture by lavishing physical affection on his hair in this way. She only did this when he was sleeping as though it was a private act that she enjoyed keeping greedily to herself. However, she wondered if he might let her take over brushing his hair as a nightly ritual.

She drew a long tendril into her hand, stroking it softly across her lips. "Mmmm," Kili made a sleepy noise. She drew back, pretending to stretch as though she was also just waking. "I love it when you do that to my hair," he whispered. Reese froze and laughed in surprise.

"I didn't know you knew," she said.

"Of course I knew," he murmured, before asking sleepily, "Where are our blankets?"

Reese shrugged and made a dismissive noise as he chuckled quietly. "Do you want me to keep going?" she asked, her hands straying to his hair again.

He nodded, rolling on his side with his back to her so that she could have better access to his locks as she moved up and sat cross legged behind him. Reaching for his hair, she stroked it back from his face, gently working through any small tangles her fingers found. He exhaled gently, a small relaxed smile playing around his lips. She slipped her hand gently under his head, pulling out any strands that were trapped there so that all of his hair was splayed out behind him. She stroked the strands, feeling the silken smoothness whisper between her fingers as she fanned it across the bed, every now and then bringing a tendril to her lips to kiss gently before letting is fall back.

She smiled as she heard Kili's breath deepen again as he passed back into slumber. Able to lie behind his shoulders now that he was lying on his side, Reese snuggled into him, resting her cheek on the sheen of hair she had combed across the bed. She nuzzled into it, inhaling his scent and burying her face as deeply as she could in the soft cloud. She lay there, surrounded by his scent and listening to the sounds of his breathing intermingled with the sound of the world outside waking. She could lie there for an eternity, safe and warm in the cocoon of love they had created.

She felt a pang of sadness knowing their time together was coming to an end as the company's departure was just less than a week away. She firmly told herself not to dwell on that time, unwilling to even consider what she and Kili were going to do when his imminent departure fell upon them. She snuggled more deeply into his shoulders, nuzzling him with her nose. "You're squirming," he said. She hadn't realized he was awake again.

"Sorry," she murmured, continuing to bury her face into his skin. "I just can't get close enough." He rolled over and drew his arms around her, cuddling her into him. Now she could nuzzle into his chest, the courser hair there tickling her nose.

She managed to wedge herself between his legs so that he was completely wrapped around her. He looked down at her and a laugh rumbled in his chest, barely perceptible but to her with her ear pressed against his chest. "I don't think you could be anymore tucked in to me," she heard the laughter in his voice.

"Mmmmm," was all she said, pressing her belly against his. "Kili," she murmured. "Would it be alright if I brushed your hair in the morning or at night sometime?"

He was silent and she looked up at him, no easy feat considering how her face was buried into his chest. He was looking down at her with an odd expression in his eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," Reese said, stroking his back in hopes that it would emphasize that she had no desire to intrude on his privacy.

"No it's not that, it's just," he paused, "attention to hair that way is a very advanced courting ritual for dwarves."

There it was. The issue they had been dancing around for days since the morning on the West Tower. How would their future together unfold from this point forward? They hadn't discussed it directly, but they had had a couple of uncomfortable moments when discussion had strayed to the topic, either by insensitive Furturians or the looks the dwarves gave them in response to their apparent affection for each other.

Reese felt like a gong was ringing in her head, repeating, "What's the plan? What's the plan?" The issue wasn't that they weren't devoted to each other. It was that they had so little time together that things had already been so rushed and that the quest was going to pull him away from her. They needed a plan, but they had truly known each other for two weeks and it seemed much too soon for this type of conversation.

She sighed, settling into him, her mind busy and distant as she was unable to avoid the issue that had claimed her mind. She could feel him slightly more tense beside her as the silence between them became uncomfortable.

"Reese," Kili said, drawing her attention back to him. "Please keep touching my hair. I love it." He had been watching the emotions play on her face, her typical lack of awareness of her transparency endearing as he was able to easily trace her thoughts.

She smiled at him and nodded, a forced tension to her smile as she attempted to mask the anxiety she felt, unwilling to break their unspoken agreement not to discuss the issue yet.

Kili sighed and rose from the bed, leaving the room to relieve himself. Reese took the opportunity to roll onto her back in the middle of the bed, head dangling slightly over the edge, with her arms and legs stretched away from her as though she were a starfish, allowing herself a brief moment to indulge in her anxious thoughts while Kili wasn't present for her to hide them from.

This was in this position that Kili found her when he returned to the bedroom, pausing in the doorway to suddenly blurt out, "I want you to be my wife, Reese. I want you to come with me on the quest for Erebor, departing in six days, and after the mountain is reclaimed I want you to marry me, live in Erebor with me, have children with me, and never be parted from me again." His tone was hurried and matter of fact, and a look of intense frustration on his face as though they had discussed this several times and she'd been denying him repeatedly, despite the fact that they had never discussed it before.

Reese lay on the bed gaping at him, looking at him from upside down as he stood naked in the doorway. "_Can_ I be your wife?" she asked, cringing as she realized these might not have been the best first words to choose after his sudden declaration.

He threw up his hands and shrugged. "I don't know, but it doesn't matter. Even if we are not permitted to marry, I want you with me everyday for the rest of our lives, for us to live as though we were husband and wife. I can't stand to be parted from you again."

Reese flipped over onto her stomach, rising up to her knees in the middle of the bed and throwing up her hands. "Well that's what I want too, Kili!" She sounded almost exasperated.

"Good," he said, as though the discussion were over and everything was now settled, striding across the room and pulling her to the edge of the bed to kiss her passionately. "In my opinion," he murmured against her lips, "that means you can do whatever you want to my hair." She laughed, pulling him forward as they tumbled back onto the bed, happy and excited. Relieved and hopeful.

And it was this conversation that resulted a week later in Reese's trodding behind Borgia and ahead of Kili and Fili in a line of Dwarves, plus one hobbit, through the wilderness in search of a mountain to reclaim.

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><p><strong>AN: Am the only person that was ready to go? Yes, it's fast, but this has been building forever, and they don't have a lot of time, really. Things have to get shaking, and really they've had more than enough time to snuggle and taste and smell each other to make this decision, don't you think? ;D **

**I'm very much looking forward to the next few chapters. Thank you for all of your reviews and support! **


	22. The Quest

Reese dropped her pack into the dusty hot earth as she relished the break from the heavy load. Bringing her hands to her lower back, she pushed her hips forward, groaning with relief as she felt her spine pop. She twisted sharply from side to side, eliciting additional pops, grunting as she felt a sharp stab from the rib that had twisted out of place as a result of the constantly hunched forward posture she'd adopted during their long days.

She winced as Thorin's voice barked, "Get a fire going!" She'd never seen Thorin in his leadership role before, but he'd been behaving relatively how she'd expected now that they were out in the wild. Demanding. Distant. Dominating. His authority was never to be challenged, which Reese had no intention of testing. She was aware of the risk they were at outside of the safety of Adelaide, of their need to travel through the land relatively unnoticed in order to avoid drawing attention from those who may wish to put a stop to the quest.

Reese moved towards Bofur and Bombur to help with the food preparation, a task she'd fallen into as it was one of the things she could easily contribute, watching Fili, Kili, and Borgia retreat into the surrounding forest as they dispersed to scout the area for water and potential threats. Kili often brought game back with him for their meals the next day.

They'd been travelling for a week, and it had become an unspoken agreement between Reese and Kili to maintain a distance from each other. The closer they were without being able to ravage each other at will was excessively distracting, and the only solution had been to separate themselves when they were supposed to be working. Some well chosen harsh words from Thorin had hastened this decision as they were frequently found by the company to be missing, causing alarm and significantly slowing the progress of the quest.

The forced distance was uncomfortable for them, especially in the dangerous circumstances when they would prefer to be close to each other in order to protect each other, but they couldn't trust themselves to be in close physical proximity.

They were always able to sneak away each night to vent their sexual frustration. Reese had become accustomed to the constant ache and longing in her body, worsened by jolts of uncontrollable desire when she caught glimpses of Kili, his hair, his goofy smile, his large hands, his narrow hips, his laughter at a joke someone in the company had made. Reese had bruised her lip during the week from constantly chewing it to keep herself from moaning at the constant forays her thoughts made into these tantalizing fantasies and images.

He always laughed fully and openly, throwing his head back and slapping his knee. Even though she thought he looked slightly ridiculous when he did this, it made her mouth water as she her teeth on the exposed column of his neck, perhaps his hands playfully, and sometimes not so playfully, slapping her bare bottom instead. Kili appeared to be having similar struggles and particularly bemoaned the way her leather pants clung to her bottom and thighs.

Kili and Fili returned from scouting, carrying three rabbits with them and reporting there was a stream nearby. Several dwarves departed to bathe and gather fresh water while the others remained behind to finish setting up camp. Borgia approached Reese, and they engaged in their silent communication of his reporting what he'd found in his exploration of the surrounding area. They never withheld information from Thorin but usually consulted with each other first as Futurians bonded together through years of travelling together. Reese was in fact glad that Borgia was able to lend his particularly unique skills to the company.

Once nearly everyone had bathed and returned to camp, settling into the stew Bofur had prepared, Reese nodded at Borgia and they broke off to leave for the spring. She approached Thorin briefly. "We'll take our leave now," she murmured subserviently, determined to assimilate seamlessly into the company. He nodded curtly, a brief glance from his piercing blue eyes, before returning to his thoughts.

Reese and Borgia passed Kili and Fili, who were sitting smoking pipes, sharing jokes, and laughing between themselves. She felt their eyes follow her as she disappeared into the trees. This was the pattern their days had adopted over the past week.

Reese and Borgia found themselves alone at the edge of a busy stream dotted with small pools as it wove through the forest. They moved far enough apart to allow for privacy, naturally placing themselves strategically in positions that would most reduce their vulnerability to attack. Modesty wasn't a concern for them. Years of travelling together made them comfortable with each other's bodies, and they'd been in far more awkward situations than bathing naked in a stream.

Reese made her way to a low flat rock where she placed two daggers and her bathing supplies before beginning to peel her clothes from her body. She was much more affected by the heat than the dwarves, and her nose wrinkled at the smell that flooded from her boots as she pulled them from her feet, followed by her many daggers and leather bodice. Her pants made a squelching noise as she pulled them down her legs, and she sighed as she pulled her tunic over her head and removed her underclothes, relishing the feel of the open air on her skin.

She wondered what had ever possessed her to adopt leather travelling gear, infinitely difficult to clean and not allowing her skin to breath. Hanging her leather garments on a tree to air, she stooped to wash her tunic and underclothes in the stream, wringing them out carefully before hanging them as well. Finally able to enter the stream herself, she moaned as she slid into the cold water, feeling the sweat and grime begin to wash away from her body.

Reese delighted in being able to fully submerge herself to wash. Water sources weren't always so abundant when they stopped to make camp, and she sighed as she dunked her head under the water to rinse soap from her hair and face. Using a cloth, she rubbed her teeth, thankful for the clean feeling this allowed, and chewed on some mint to freshen her breath. She greedily scooped cold water to her mouth, enjoying the treat as during the day she usually only had warm liquid in her water skin.

Reese laid back in the pool, allowing herself to float as she waited eagerly for Kili to join her. Borgia was nowhere to be seen, eerily silent as he prowled the bush, but she knew he was near enough should peril befall them, his sharp eyes missing no sign of danger, only ever making noise if he wished to be heard.

Reese heard someone approach and smiled as she saw Kili exiting the trees. He had already removed his coat, tunic, and belt, which he threw down beside the flat rock, before quickly pulling off his boots. One boot gave him a bit of trouble, and he had to hop on the spot briefly to get it off. He smirked when she snorted back a laugh and tossed his trousers over his shoulder as he entered the pool.

He never failed to take her breath away as she gazed upon his naked body, his dark hair tumbling around his shoulders, giving way to broad plains of muscle spreading across his chest, covered in dark hair that narrowed to a line that traveled over his abdomen between narrow hips, drawing her eye to his thick erect cock, which slipped below the water as he dunked himself into the stream before moving towards her.

Reese couldn't help but laugh joyfully as she waded towards Kili, wrapping her arms around his neck when she reached him. He made a low happy noise as his hands went to her waist to draw her to him, smiling as he brought his mouth to hers.

"Mmmmm," she said, "this is my favourite part of the day."

"Really?" he murmured as he nuzzled her jaw bone, "I thought you might prefer hiking through the baking heat while Thorin barked orders at us and slowly became more and more irritable."

Reese snorted. "I've never heard you say anything like that about him. You seem to worship everything he does."

"To a point," Kili murmured, dropping his mouth to her neck. Reese gasped as she felt him nip playfully at her skin, followed by his tongue which he traced down the side of her neck to her shoulder. His fingers stroked up her back, raising goosebumps on her skin as she brought her own mouth to nibble gently on his ear. He loved when she touched his ears, and he groaned as he said his next words, "I could have done without the constant reminders of how Fili and I lost the ponies over a month ago and that he was regretting bringing us on this quest if we were just going to get in the way."

Reese's laugh gave way to a moan as his mouth caught her collar bone. "Oh god, I forgot about that!" She remembered when earlier that day Kili had accidentally tripped over a log, making him run into Bofur as they'd both tumbled to the ground in a heap. Thorin's reaction had been excessively angry, and Reese could tell that the stress of the quest was starting to weigh on their leader greatly.

"Although I definitely don't have it as bad as Bilbo," Kili added, bringing his lips back to hers to nuzzle them gently.

Reese winced, remembering some of the things she'd heard Thorin growl to Balin about their burglar. She continued to marvel at Bilbo's determination to continue on this quest for a people he had only just met. It seemed as though Thorin was set on putting Bilbo's willingness and good nature to the test, trying to see how much it would take to break the hobbit's fortitude.

She had seen little of Thorin in their last days at Adelaide as she'd been preoccupied with preparing to leave Adelaide and her people. However, when she'd seen him, Thorin always seemed to emerge from these meetings in a terrible humour as though he'd been beaten into submission by the wizard in the constant power struggle that existed between them. She felt bad for her friend, the insurmountable pressure he was carrying for his people, and she hoped she could help him in anyway he needed.

It was difficult for her not to jump to defend Bilbo or Kili, but she knew Kili could handle Thorin on his own, and she made sure to always demonstrate her support of Bilbo through friendship and companionship. She thought this to be a wiser avenue of action than to oppose Thorin in a disagreement that she would likely lose. In fact, she'd come to greatly enjoy Bilbo's company over the past week as she'd been forced to avoid Kili. She'd begun to greatly appreciate the delicate intricacies of Bilbo's character. He was clever, much cleverer than she was, and she marveled at the jokes and riddles he could spin in a moment, which he willingly shared with her to make the long arduous days pass more quickly.

"Where are your thoughts?" Kili murmured, drawing Reese's mind back to him. He brought his hand up to her breast, stroking it gently. He was slowly pushing her deeper into the pool so that they were submerged to their shoulders, his thumbs brushing over her nipples as they hardened from the contact with the cool water.

She cringed guiltily. "Bilbo," she answered. Kili looked up at her, eyebrows raised in mock insult.

"You're thinking of Bilbo at a time like this?" He laughed as she swatted at him playfully.

"Whatever," she grinned. "You brought him up."

He grinned at her as he caught her lips again, murmuring, "Maybe we're doing too much talking," as his hands cupped her bottom, lifting her in the water as her legs wrapped around his waist. They both groaned in satisfaction as he lowered her onto him.

"Thank god," Reese gasped as she clung to Kili, his strong arms supporting her as she was buoyed by the water. She felt herself swollen with need as she gripped him tightly. She pressed her forehead into the side of his cheek, tangling her hand in his hair, settling her pelvis against his. Kili groaned again at the slight movement, and he brought one hand to her back to grasp her tightly to her while supporting her with his other hand as they clung to each other in the water.

"I love you," she whispered.

Kili turned to her, rubbing his nose against hers. "I love you too," he answered with a smile. Reese brought her lips to his, her kiss gentle yet hungry, as she rocked her hips forward. Kili lifted her in the water, allowing her to slide down his chest as he filled her again, the cool water swirling gently around them.

It wasn't her favourite position, in the water standing like this, because she was a little preoccupied with Kili's staying balanced, which he always laughed at. But she loved the feel of the cool water allowing her skin to glide against his, feeling wet both inside and out.

They rocked their hips together, their need for each other consuming them as Reese allowed herself to lie back into the water, her hands gripping Kili's shoulders for support. The water swayed her hair and splashed over her shoulders, the coolness a stark contrast to Kili's heat against her thighs.

Kili brought his mouth to her chest, pressing slow languid kisses over her breasts. Waves of pleasure washed over her as Kili thrust into her, his movements slow and deliberate. He continued to support her with one hand as he brought the other up to trace over the tattoo on her chest, his calloused fingers scraping her skin, allowing his palm to rest there gently as though he was holding her heart itself in his careful hand.

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><p><strong>AN: This was a long wait between updates! I'm trying to pull several threads together, even though it may not be obvious, which resulted in a bit more thinking and a bit less writing. Sometimes, writing is so inspired and comes quickly, and other times it's like pulling teeth. The next chapter is drafted and will be up on Friday. **

**Thank you to everyone who followed/favourited/reviewed! Reader825, I wasn't able to PM you directly so I just wanted to thank you here for your beautiful review! Whenever any of you send a review, it truly makes my day! XO RP**


	23. What Will the Future Bring?

Reese enjoyed helping Kili bathe in the pool, paying particular attention to his hair, before they laid on the grassy bank of the stream, gazing up at the sky glimpsing through the trees around them. The moon was out now, and Kili gazed at it distractedly as he rested his head on Reese's stomach, when he was drawn back to the present by Reese's voice.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, stroking his hair gently.

Kili raised his head to look at her. "The future," he smiled, before adding a bit sheepishly, "Our future."

Reese's smile widened. "Really?" she asked, moving around to lie beside him, turning to look at him, her head propped in her hand. "What kinds of things in our future?"

She looked as though he was about to tell her a wonderful story that she was eagerly awaiting.

"So many things," Kili murmured, leaning forward to kiss her nose gently as he considered where to start. He wanted so many things for their future. Marriage. Children. Long lives lived never being parted from each other. But he also spent a great deal of time thinking about small things, daydreaming about little daily moments made blissful and pure from being with her. "Things like waking up next to each other every morning. Having breakfast together. Coming home to each other at the end of the day."

Reese smiled at the dreamy look in his eyes. She'd dreamed about their future together too, although they hadn't talked much about it. They usually talked about the quest and about their lives before they'd met. Because of the uncertainty of Erebor and of their being able to marry, they didn't spend much time on this topic. But Kili's optimism for the future was contagious, and Reese found herself imagining what it would be like to settle into a life together, to be free to love each other without the pressure of the quest hanging over them, to build closely intertwined lives together, to have their own space where they both belonged equally.

Reese's stomach clenched briefly at the last thought. She had no regrets in leaving Adelaide for Kili, but it had been hard to leave her people. Futurians had worked hard to create a place where they felt they belonged and had a home. The Futurians had become each others' family, and Reese worried that she would be lonely at Erebor. She was accustomed to getting along with other races, and she particularly enjoyed dwarves, finding their values frequently consistent with her own. At the same time, she wondered if they would be as accepting of her as she was of them.

She also wondered if there would be female dwarves willing to be friends with her. She had been sad leaving Michelle, Janine, and Sarah behind, and their goodbyes had been tearful. Reese felt a small amount of anxiety at how alone she was going to be, but looking at Kili she realized she would never be alone with him by her side. It was this thought that she used to suppress her anxieties, not willing to spend time on fears that she knew she had no control over.

Reese's anxiety gave way to another fear. As the quest had progressed, she'd begun to become increasingly afraid that something bad would happen to Kili and that she wouldn't be able to protect him. The apprehension must have shown on her face because Kili brought his hand to her cheek to caress it gently. "What's wrong?" he asked sharply, his eyes concerned.

Reese pressed her lips together, suddenly intent on studying the ground. "What if something happens to you?" she whispered. "What if I can't keep you safe?" She looked at him with her last words. Her breath caught when she saw anxiety on his face as well.

Kili paused a moment. "I have the same fear," he said. "I'm so scared of something happening to you, of your being hurt." Suddenly he reached for her, drawing her into a tight embrace. "I worry so much that we made the wrong decision with your coming, that there's too much risk." He murmured these words into her hair as he held her tightly.

Reese nodded into his shoulder. "I'm scared we might fall into a situation where ... I could be used against you." Although she was not explicit, the meaning of her words was clear.

She felt Kili stiffen at the thought and his arms tightened around her even more. "I won't let anything happen to you," he growled, suddenly fierce.

"What if you have no choice?" she answered. "What if someone uses me to hurt you and what if I can't do anything to protect you?"

Kili pulled away to cup her face in his hands, and she winced slightly at the tight grip he held her with as he stared into her eyes. "Let's make sure that never happens," he said. He sounded as though he was trying to reassure himself as much as her. "Promise, me, Reese, promise me that if we fall into danger that you'll let me protect you and that if I can't," he paused over the idea that he may not be able to be by her side,"that you'll let Borgia and Fili protect you and keep you safe." His eyes bore into hers, and she stared back at him.

It was times like these when she saw a difference in how they saw the world. Even though he was frightened, Kili had never known a great loss. When he was born, his father had already died and Erebor had already been lost. Although he grew up with the stories of grief and tragedy, he had never known what it was like to be unable to fulfill his responsibility to keep someone safe. She hoped he never learned what this pain could be like and that he was always able to see those he loved safe and happy.

Kili still held her face, waiting for her response. Instead of reassuring him, Reese drew him to her, her mouth finding his as she put all of her love and fear into her kiss. Her lips were gentle on his, softly grazing his skin with the lightest touch. Kili allowed her to control the kiss as she moved her mouth to his eyes, placing a gentle kiss on each of his closed eyelids. She returned to his lips, kissing him more deeply, before looking into his eyes. His gaze held hers, almost as though a question lingered there, as though she could reassure him that she would be safe.

"I wish I could promise you that everything will be okay, Kili," she said, looking at him seriously. "But I don't know if that's true. I don't know if you'll be okay either, and it scares me sp much. But there just isn't any way to know that we'll be okay, that we'll get out of this alive or that we'll be the same people we were when we started."

Reese brought her hand to his cheek and stroked it softly. He turned his face slightly to nuzzle into it. "I'm sorry that I can't tell you what you want to hear, Kili. But I love you, and I will always love you. Please don't ever doubt that."

Kili smiled sadly, moving to sit up. "I just wish we could just be in Erebor, safe and happy, with nothing standing in our way."

"Me too," she murmured.

Kili sat on the ground, arms resting on his knees. Reese felt her heart swell as she looked at him, his hands fidgeting anxiously with a piece of grass. She had no more words, and instead, she moved towards him, bringing herself to kneel before him between his legs. He brought his arms to sit loosely around her waist, unconsciously stroking small circles on the skin of her lower back with his thumbs. Bringing her hand to his chin she tilted his head so that his face was turned up to hers, his brown eyes searching hers questioningly. "All that matters is that we're together," she said.

Leaning forward, Reese dropped her head towards him as he parted his lips in anticipation. Stopping within a fraction of an inch of his mouth, she repeated herself, "We're together, and we don't need anything else." She could feel his breath on her lips, warm and sweet. Finally, she caught his lips with hers, her kiss slow and loving. Closing his eyes, Kili parted his lips as her tongue flicked lightly over his full bottom lip. He moaned quietly at the sensation, leaning forwards hungrily in an attempt to kiss her more deeply. Reese drew back, controlling the kiss as she continued to lightly flick her tongue over his lips before finally kissing him deeply, bringing her hand to tangle in his hair to hold him closely.

Kili moaned as she kissed him passionately, drawing her closer to him and wrapping his arms around her tightly. Reese brought her other hand up, cupping his face as she continued to ravage his mouth. Kili gasped as she broke the kiss, and Reese looked down at him, seeing he was fully erect again, his need for her great.

She pushed him back so that he was lying on his back and moved her legs to either side off his hips. His hands came to settle on her waist, holding her gently. He looked up at her, his eyes dark pools of longing. Placing one hand on his chest, she brought his other hand to his erection, stroking it softly as she moved him to her before lowering herself slowly onto his length.

Kili's eyes shut as he groaned softly before opening them again to gaze at her, his brow furrowed from the sensation of her closing around him tightly. Reese gasped as he filled her completely, stopping all movement as she looked down at him, memorizing the blissful look on his face. They didn't move, staying motionless as they were locked together, their love and devotion timeless, their need for each other requiring eternity to fill. Finally, Reese slowly brought her hands to his, lacing their fingers together tightly as she rocked forward, Kili gasping at the feel of her moving around him. Reese couldn't help but moan as she continued to rock her hips while Kili began to thrust his up to meet hers, their gaze never breaking.

Reese's want for him was so great that it wasn't long before she felt pressure building inside of her. "Let go," Kili gasped, his eyes holding hers as he watched her. "I've got you," he murmured. Reese nodded once before her climax washed over her as she bit her lip to keep herself from crying out too loudly, her body collapsing forward to his as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her through the waves that left her weak and unable to support herself. He groaned as her muscles clenched around him, spasming as she gasped, but he never let go of her. Finally, Reese stilled as she lay on his chest wrapped tightly in his arms breathing heavily when suddenly Kili rolled them so that he was lying above her, tangled together as he looked down into her eyes.

"I love you," he whispered. His chest pressed against her breasts as he brought his mouth to hers, his kiss demanding as though he could put into the kiss all of the love he felt for her. Breaking the kiss and bringing his forehead to rest against hers, he thrust into her deeply. Already sensitive, each movement Kili made caused Reese to cry out, arching her back as she pressed into him.

"Shhh," he murmured, urging her not to draw attention from the camp as voices traveled easily in the night air. Reese nodded frantically, bringing her hand to her mouth where she bit her fist in order to stifle her cries. Kili brought his hand to her thigh, drawing it higher up on his waist so that he could plunge more deeply into her.

"But don't hurt yourself!" he gasped as he thrust into her. Reese only shook her head, unable to speak as her body responded to his. Kili brought his hand to her hair where he pulled her to his shoulder so that she could quiet her moans. Then taking her fisted hand, he drew it down to between their hips where he placed it on her slick folds, urging her to rub small circles on her clitoris. Reese whimpered at the sensation but followed Kili's direction as she clung to him.

Reese wailed as her orgasm hit her, and Kili brought his hand to cover her mouth in order to muffle her cries, only to groan loudly as he followed her with his own climax, burying his face in her neck in an attempt to remain quiet. Kili collapsed over her, breathing heavily while she clung to him, both delirious and unaware of anything except that they had each other wrapped tightly in their arms.


	24. Wake Up Call

**A/N: Hi everyone! It's been so frustrating that I've had such a hard time updating! Things have been so busy here, and literally everyone in my house has had two colds and the flu over the past few weeks. We're just starting to get our feet back under us now, and I hope that we'll get a little break now that it's spring. I don't know if that's rational, thinking that spring will bring a break, but one has to hope! I'm not normally one who gets sick, but having a baby in daycare changes that really quickly. Thank you everyone for your lovely reviews, favourites, and follows. And now, back to Kili and Reese.**

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><p>When Reese and Kili returned to the camp, all of the company were sleeping except for Ori and Nori, who were on watch. Kili and Fili were next, followed by Reese and Borgia. Thorin hadn't even allowed Reese and Kili to entertain the idea of being on watch together, and in retrospect Reese thought this decision was likely wise.<p>

Thorin had been having trouble sleeping, and he often sat with Reese and Borgia, which he seemed to find comforting. Borgia and Reese had never thought of Thorin as royalty before, and they fell back into their old friendly habits during the evenings, despite the reverence Reese would show him during the day in front of the other dwarves. Their silences were friendly and companionable, and they might even drink tea that Reese had brewed with the mint that appeared to be abundant in the hills they were travelling through.

That night was no different as the three sat in silence. As usual, Gloin woke halfway through their shift and wandered into the trees to relieve himself. However, unlike previous nights, this evening when Gloin returned to the camp he approached the fire. Reese raised her eyebrows in surprised as he settled on a log instead of returning to his bedroll.

"This quest is going to be the death of me," Gloin began, stretching his joints. "My pockets have been bled dry, and if I have to sleep one more night with a tree root in my back then I'm turning back," he grumbled. Nobody responded to him, but he didn't appear to take the silence as a cue to stop disrupting it.

Reese thought Gloin would be better suited to waking up when Fili and Kili were on watch. They never seemed to stop talking when together and would be much more willing to chat amiably with him while he couldn't sleep. They were also both bettered natured than the three sitting around the fire at this moment and better equipped to deal with Gloin's negative musings.

Reese glanced at the others around the campfire. Gloin was one of the dwarves that she particularly had not had any contact with. She wasn't sure if circumstances hadn't allowed them to spend time together or if there had been intentional avoidance on his part. She had a feeling it was the latter and had frequently gotten the impression that he didn't entirely approve of her. However, glancing towards Thorin she saw that he was lost in thought, having entered into the majestic brooding portion of his evening. Moving to Borgia, she realized she couldn't count on him to alleviated Gloin's need to talk since Borgia barely uttered words himself. Reese sighed inwardly as she realized the task had fallen to her as the woman to uphold the social obligation of making chitchat around the campfire.

Reese furrowed her eyebrows and nodded in feigned sympathy as Gloin continued. "What am I even doing on this quest? I am the only family man here! The rest of you lot can afford sauntering through these forgotten lands, but I have a family to care for!"

Reese turned her head to him, picking up on the opportunity to direct the conversation to an easier topic. "I didn't know you had a family, Master Gloin. Do you have any children?"

He smiled, finally finding a sympathetic ear, and pulled a silver case out of his pocket. "That's me wife. And me son, Gimli." His voice was laced with pride.

Reese took the portraits from him with a smile and examined them. "He looks just like you," she said honestly of his son, Gimli. Her lips twitched as she saw the same obstinate look on Gimli's face that she so often noticed on his father's.

Reese turned to the picture of Gloin's wife with interest. "Your wife is lovely, Master Gloin," Reese said, although not entirely in honesty as she found his wife's beard unattractive. Reese remembered hearing somewhere, maybe from Thorin, that female dwarves had facial hair. As much as she tried to be open minded she was unable to find the ideal of women with facial hair appealing. She wondered what female dwarves would think of many Futurians' practice to remove as much body hair as possible.

Reese examined the portrait, hoping for some inspiration to direct the conversation. Her eyes lit on the necklace Gloin's wife was wearing. It was an ugly complicated ornate pendant, and it looked very heavy. In fact, everything the female dwarf was wearing appeared heavy, from the ornate hair style that was piled heavily on the back of her head to the luxurious velvet gown she was wearing, heavily trimmed with lace and jewels. Reese felt exhausted just looking at her, grateful that she had never had to wear such oppressive clothing. However, Reese grasped at this opportunity to direct the conversation in a positive direction.

Turning to Gloin she said, "The pendant your wife is wearing is very interesting, so complex and detailed. Is it a family heirloom?" Reese glanced at him, and she could tell she'd managed to direct him to a topic of interest for him.

He nodded. "That there necklace has been passed down through generations of my family and was presented to my wife upon our betrothal as a symbol of her role."

Reese suppressed an eye roll as she nodded at Gloin. "A symbol of her role?" Reese prompted for him to continue.

"Aye, lassie," he continued. "It is a sign to all others that she is tied to a male as his wife and the mother of his children. She is required to wear the necklace at all times, and to not do so is considered to be a grave insult to her husband and husband's family. If the council approves of your bonding to the young prince, which I doubt they will, then the one you'll wear is even larger, symbolizing your servitude."

Ignoring his pessimistic reference to hers and Kili's future, Reese had to correct the dwarf. "Ah, sadly, Master Gloin, as a Furturian I am sure Kili and Thorin would not expect me to engage in a practice so divergent from my people's own beliefs of equality between husband and wife."

Reese appeared to have opened the flood gates as Gloin responded, his thoughts on her situation with Kili pouring forward, apparently without a thought for their effect on her. "Aye, I noticed the practice of your people in our time at your castle and just say such behaviour would never be tolerated in a princess of Erebor, but I'm sure young master Kili will help to train you as to your duties. My dear wife will take it upon herself to inform you of your duties and your place, as will young Kili's mother, Dis. Aye, a better example of a female upholding dwarven traditions was never seen before, properly unyielding too. Just the perfect dwarf to mend your ways, young lady."

Reese was stunned by Gloin, flabbergasted that someone could be so insensitive as to say such insulting things to another person, presuming to be helpful. She glanced over at Thorin, who appeared to be lost in his own thoughts and not listening to what was being said. She noticed that Borgia had fallen still as Gloin had begun to talk, even his own attention captured by Gloin's words.

"You'll be grateful for it as well as you'll need all the help you can muster to gain acceptance among our people, particularly the dwarf women who are particularly reluctant to accept outsiders." Reese blinked at this, not having considered how alone she would be. However, she knew she would never be lonely in her work, and she fully intended to find a way to continue to travel to travel. She'd acn looking forward to exploring around the Lonely Mountain having never travelled east of Mirkwood.

Reese began to become defensive at this point. "I'm sad to hear that it is so unlikely that your people will accept me, Master Gloin. I guess I will have to find a way to befriend people living in the surrounding communities, and I'm sure I will be able to find tasks to occupy my time that will allow me to spend time with people, possibly travelling back to Adelaide on trading missions. I'm sure that the dwarves have several goods that my people would be happy to trade for."

Gloin snorted at this. "Trading missions? No no no, this'll be the end to your travelling. Dwarves never let their women leave the mountain except under the most extreme of circumstances. It'll be the end to your wandering ways, that be sure. You'll have to find a new way to occupy yer time, particularly considering you'll see very little of the young prince."

Reese paused at the mention of her not being allowed to leave the castle, but managed to gather her wits enough to clarify his last statement. "What do you mean that I'll see very little of Kili?"

"Aye, he'll be too busy to spend much time with ye. He'll be occupied with his responsibilities as prince, travelling to visit kin in the other kingdoms, gone for weeks. You'll do well to consider taking up a craft of some sort to pass the time."

Reese felt bile rise in her throat as she tried not to betray her shock to Gloin. She need not have worried because he ploughed on as determined to be thorough in making her fully aware of the changes she could expect at Erebor and how she would be spending the rest of her life. "And there'll be none of this cavorting around in bushes with no shame," he went on. "You'll have to behave as a respectable lass might, dressing properly in proper dwarven clothes, growing your hair long, and behaving as the wife of a prince might be expected to behave, even though it's unlikely anyone would accept the possibility of your marrying. In fact, many will probably protest the match. They'll offer more appropriate choices to Kili, strong dwarf females who know their place and are able bear him strong proper dwarf children."

Thorin had apparently been drawn back to the conversation and a look of alarm spread over his features as he realized that Gloin had just told Reese that she would essentially be held prisoner in the mountain, never allowed out to see the fresh air or sunlight, not able to expect to see her partner except for a few minutes every evening, and will have no friends to turn to in her loneliness because she will be ostracized by the entire kingdom. He glanced at Reese, who looked like she was about to be sick.

"Enough," he barked at Gloin, who cast him a surprised look but proceeded no further, throwing a glance Reese's way and raising his eyebrows when he saw her stricken face. "Don't tell me the young prince hasn't told ye all of this?" he said in surprise.

Reese was only able to shake her head slowly. Gloin's shrugged. He seems unconcerned with the effect he'd had on her."Well, I best be getting back to sleep," he said dismissively,rising up from his perch on the log and lumbering back to his bedroll.

Reese sat frozen as she watched him go before springing to her feet. "I need to ..." she trailed off, not bothering to fabricate a lie to explain her sudden departure. She felt Thorin and Borgia's eyes on her as she retreated into the trees. She knew better than to go too far, but she needed privacy to be able to process the information she'd just received and to cope with the emotions she was having as a result.

Reese came to stand in a small clearing and leaned against a large tree taking deep breaths, willing herself to calm and not to jump to any conclusions. She felt a part of herself rise up, terrified and ready to bolt, and tried to silence it by telling herself not to overreact, that Kili would surely have told her these things if they were true, that even if they were true that dwarves sometimes had a tendency to exaggerate, and that despite what Gloin said, Kili and Thorin knew she would never agree to such a life, wearing a necklace that was really like wearing a dog's collar, expected to roll over at her master's command.

She felt comforted by her thoughts. Kili would have told her if these were the things she could expect in her future with him, would have warned her and given her time to prepare, and would have told her himself rather than leaving her to look like a fool in front of others.

Not that she's ever agree to such a life. The Futurians had broken with the men of Middle Earth for the same reasons. The oppressive ways had been unbearable for the women. But things were different now. She was in love with, and loved by, a dwarf who understood her for what she was. And Futurians were no longer a powerless people who had no rights and were completely dependent on others.

She wasn't surprised that there would be concern about her being human, but she supposed she'd hoped since Kili wasn't the direct heir that it might be overlooked. Both Thorin and Fili had plenty of time to sire proper Dwarven heirs.

Reese took a deep breath again. Clearly Gloin didn't understand the nature of hers and Kili's relationship, that there was no way he would ever expect her to agree to such a life, even to be with him. He knew that such a life would ruin what they had because it would destroy her, desecrating the very nature of the person he'd fallen in love with.

Reese began to feel comforted greatly by her thoughts. She really had changed. A month ago if faced with a similar situation she would never have given herself time to reason her way out of the panic. She would have bolted without a thought, never even pausing to look back or consider if she was making a mistake.

But things were different now. Her heart swelled as her thoughts strayed to Kili, imagining how he would laugh when she told him what Gloin had said. Reese felt herself relax at the thought and turned back towards the camp, only to run right into Thorin so had come up behind her. It wasn't as though dwarves moved quietly, and she thought she must have been truly lost in thought to not notice his presence.

"Oomph," she said as she bounced off his chest. He reached out to steady her as she stumbled backwards.

"Hey," she said, laughing. "Sorry about that. I just needed a minute. Can you believe Gloin?" She laughed again, looking up at him, pausing at the concern she saw on his face, thinking she must have appeared more upset than she realized, when Thorin spoke.

"Did Kili not warn you of what to expect?" he asked her, his brow furrowed.

Reese sighed, stepping backwards and looking up at him again. "No, we never really talked about it. I don't know how I didn't know what dwarves were like, considering what I've been doing for the past sixteen years." She laughed at her own error before shrugging. "It's not as though it matters, though. Gloin clearly doesn't understand that I will simply never agree to such a way of life. He mustn't know me very well." Her laugh died as she glanced at Thorin again, who did not join her in her joke.

He shook his head slowly. "I thought you knew," he said in a grave tone. "He's a prince, Reese, of the line of Durin." Reese felt the world around her slow as she began to doubt the confidence she'd had in her future amongst the dwarves.

"You thought I knew what?" she asked, starting to wonder if she wished to know the answer.

"Even though he didn't put it exactly how I would have, everything Gloin said is … well …," Thorin trailed off, the end of his unfinished statement hanging in the air between them.

Reese stood before him, silent as his meaning washed over her. Thorin watched as several different emotions played across her features, finally settling on horror, mingled with disbelief, as she whispered, "You can't honestly mean …." She was unable to say the words and Thorin finished for her.

"Everything he said is true, Reese. I thought you knew, that you knew what you were agreeing to. It never even crossed my mind that you might not."

Reese swayed on the spot, and Thorin reached forward to grasp her elbow and steady her. Reese swallowed, finding the action difficult as her mouth was completely dry. "You thought I had agreed to surrender all of my rights as a woman and to essentially be enslaved and forced to become a shell of the person I am now, oppressed, alone, friendless, and without even my partner to love me?" She spoke slowly as though unable to believe she was even uttering the words.

"You thought I would agree to surrender my very soul, the very essence of who I am as a person, in exchange for a nightmare worse than that which my people suffered when they first arrived in Middle Earth? Suffocating? Practically chained in a dungeon, never even being allowed to see the sun or to feel the wind on my skin? You thought I would agree to that?" Her voice rose as she began to yell, fully realizing the implication of his words.

"How can you, of all people, think that I would ever agree to such a thing? How could you, Thorin?" She was shouting now, not caring who heard her or what attention she drew from any enemy who would be near enough to hear her.

Thorin grabbed her arm harshly as he hissed, "Lower your voice. Do you want to get us killed?"

Reese wrenched her arm out of his grasp. "How dare you?" she spat. "Is this a taste of what I have to expect? Being grabbed and commanded by the nearest male as though I don't have a mind of my own?"

At these words, Reese saw Kili rush up behind Thorin, followed at a distance by Borgia and Fili. Alarm was written on Kili's face. The company must have woken at the sound of her shouting. "What's going on?" he asked anxiously as he took in Reese's expression. He went to her, reaching for her as his anxiety intensified, alarmed by how upset she appeared to be.

"Reese, what's wrong?" He sounded scared as he turned her towards him.

Reese glared at him, wrenching her arms out of his gentle grip. "Your uncle and Master Gloin have been informing me of the hell I can expect as your wife in Erebor, which you seemingly chose not to discuss with me."

Kili drew back at her words, taken back by the ferocity of her voice. "What are you talking about?" He looked at his uncle in confusion, truly not understanding what she was saying. Reese suddenly realized that Kili may be as unaware of the expectations placed on them as she was. He had a tendency to be overly optimistic, particularly as he seemed to be more understanding of other traditions than the other members of his company.

Reese almost sagged in relief as she realized there was no way Kili would ever expect these things of her. It was a simple misunderstanding, and Kili would stand by her and protect her from the tyranny of the dwarves. He loved her, and she felt horribly guilty for even considering for a moment that Kili would betray her in such a way.

Reese took a breath, finding some respite in her thoughts, as she sagged towards Kili. He automatically wrapped his arms around her, drawing her to him protectively. "Tell me what happened," he murmured, bringing his hand up to stroke her hair.

Reese took comfort in his warm solid body as she leaned against him. She suddenly felt like a small child looking for comfort, telling a parent about a bad dream or how she'd been pushed around by another kid at the playground.

"Gloin came to the campfire and we started talking about his wife. He started telling me all of the things that are expected of dwarf women. Horrible things, Kili. Things I could never agree to. He started lecturing me, telling me how I'll never be accepted by the dwarves, that I'll never be allowed to leave the mountain, never allowed to see my people again. He said that I'd never be able to see you. He said that the council would try to break us up and would try to make you marry another dwarf, that I was completely unsuitable and that I was wasting my time even hoping that you and I might be able to marry one day, or even be allowed to remain together, that we'd be forced apart."

Reese buried her face into Kili's shoulder, annoyed as she felt tears welling in her eyes. She tightened her arms around him as she took comfort in the safety of his embrace, inhaling his musky scent deeply and feeling herself begin to relax.

"And then Thorin told me that you should have told me all of this, that he thought I knew what I should expect. And that's when I realized there was no way that you could have known that things would be that bad, that you would never expect me to give up everything I am."

Quiet fell upon them as Reese's last words hung in the air. The silence stretched until Reese tipped her head back to look up at Kili. She froze when she saw the look on his face, his eyes locked in silent communication with his uncle's.

Reese dropped her arms and began to pull away from him. Realizing what she was doing, Kili tightened his grip, reluctant to let her move away from him. Reese stared at him as the full realization of what was happening hit her. Kili looked at her, the truth in his eyes, and she shook her head slowly, the unshed tears finally spilling down her cheeks. "I'm such a fool," she whispered disbelievingly. "I'm such a god damn fucking fool."

"No, Reese, you don't understand. I didn't realize that you …," Kili protested as she twisted away from him.

It was at this point that Reese threw up, spilling the contents of her stomach on the forest floor. Kili reached for her but she shoved him away as she bent forward, her body heaving as her retches echoed through the silent forest. She was hardly aware of the five males standing around her in silence, watching her.

As her stomach stilled, Reese was dismayed as she began to cry, sobbing loudly as she began to understand the horror of this new realization. Kili reached for her again but again she pushed him away. Finally, Borgia came forward and Reese allowed him to reach for her to support her.

"Reese!" Kili said. "I thought you knew! How could you not know? Truly you must have realized …."

"Are you blaming me?" she gasped, looking at him stunned. "Are you implying that this is my own doing? That it was my responsibility to know what I was signing up for?"

Kili wavered under her glare. "No! That's not what I meant! Reese!" Kili moved towards her again.

"Don't touch me," she snarled. Straightening up, she stared at him, feeling her heart shatter as she felt the full weight of what she considered to be Kili's betrayal of her.

"I can't be around you right now," she said, shaking her head as she backed away from him. Turning, she strode away from them, followed closely by Borgia.

Kili moved to follow her but Thorin grabbed his arm. "Let her go," he said wisely. "Give yourselves time to calm down. She's fine with Borgia."

Kili stared at him anxiously before turning back towards the camp, cursing in under his breath in Khuzdul as he stormed through the trees.

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><p><strong>AN: Hey! I had a great note from someone that made me think I should clarify that although the dwarves protect and cherish their females, the Futurians would find the way the dwarves do it extremely oppressive. Gloin is being a dick about it though because he has naturally judgmental and a bit rude, even for a dwarf, which is why I chose him to be the one to deliver this news to Reese. **

****If you're looking for some happy Kili and Reese, I've posted an AU one shot collaboration in which they are very happy. It's in my Thundering Moments of Tenderness Rage story.**


	25. Monsters Under the Bed

Reese didn't calm down. The next day she didn't speak at all to any of the dwarves, and she and Borgia fell to the back of the company. Giving her space, Kili remained at the front with his uncle and would momentarily glance back at Reese. He noticed that she and Borgia had allowed a large gap to form between them and the company and at times Kili briefly couldn't see them at all because they were obscured by trees.

Kili turned forward again, unable to help being angry at her. She wouldn't even talk to him or allow him to explain, and he was hurt by her outright rejection of his people and customs. He hadn't meant to make her feel betrayed but he had had honestly thought that as an ambassador that she was aware of how dwarves protected and showed value of their women. He of course would do everything he could to make things easier for her, but he knew at first they would have to be careful and appear to be the example of the perfect couple in order to be accepted by his people.

All he wanted was for her to understand that for dwarves this way of treating their women was considered respectful. Since they had so few dwarf women, they cherished them deeply, protecting them carefully. He was frustrated with Reese for not seeing that and not even allowing him the chance to clarify. He knew as a Futurian Reese would find things difficult, but he had always planned to help her through, thinking they could overcome any challenge together.

He could throttle Gloin as well. He could only imagine how Gloin had presented things to Reese, not helping matters any. Gloin had made it clear that he did not approve of the Futurians, and Kili had tried to keep Reese from interacting with Gloin in order to avoid this very situation.

Kili became more angry as the day wore on and found himself looking back to check on Reese less and less frequently. He knew she could take care of herself, and he needed to focus his attention elsewhere so that he ws able to keep his anger from boiling over. When Thorin told them all to stop for a rest and some food, over an hour had passed since he'd last glanced towards her.

Kili automatically turned to look for Reese and paused. He couldn't see her or Borgia, and he suddenly became alarmed as he realized how long it had been since he'd last seen her.

"Where are Reese and Borgia?" he asked. The company glanced around them and muttered as they shrugged, returning to their work. Bilbo looked back down the path in concern.

"Do you think something happened?" he asked Kili anxiously, who glanced briefly at the hobbit before walking back in the direction they'd come from.

Thinking maybe they had stopped to relieve themselves, he began to walk back up the path in anticipation of finding them around the a bend. He felt his irritation mount at her inconsideration in not staying close to the company. He should have said something sooner but had been too frustrated to be able to bring himself to tell her to keep up.

Expecting to see her as he rounded a dense patch of trees, Kili became alarmed to find no sign of Reese or Borgia. Feeling dread mounting, he called for her. "Reese!" He strained to hear an answering call or rustling in the surrounding vegetation, any sign that she was nearby. He only heard silence. "Reese!" he shouted, becoming frantic. He ran off the path into the trees, choosing a random direction as he began to panic, unable to think clearly as he started to fear that something horrible had happened to her. "Reese!" he shouted again, his voice choking on the fear that was gripping his heart. "Borgia!" he shouted, hoping that calling a different name would force someone to answer him. He started to realize something was terribly wrong as no voice answered him.

Kili heard thundering steps behind him and turned to see Fili and Ori jogging up to him. "What's going on? Where's Reese," Fili asked, looking frightened to have heard his brother shouting.

"I can't find her!" Kili cried, reaching to grip his brother's arm. "Fili, I can't find her!"

Fili reached for his brother as he fully understood what Kili was telling him. Glancing around the trees as though expecting to see Reese or Borgia standing there, Fili cursed. "We'll have to backtrack immediately. Something must have happened. We shouldn't have let them fall so far behind."

Turning to Ori, Fili commanded. "Ori, run back and tell the others what's happened. Tell them Reese and Borgia are missing and that Kili and I are going to go back to look for them. Now!" Ori nodded frantically as he turned and began to sprint back towards the company.

Turning to his brother, Fili took his shoulders. "Kili, look at me," he said in a stern voice, alarmed at how Kili appeared to be unable to focus on him. "Kili, we're going to go find her now. I need you to be calm, brother, so that we can find her. Do you hear me?"

Kili blinked before focusing on his brother. He nodded, swallowing thickly. "Fili …." he said in a small voice. He sounded like a scared child, and Fili drew Kili to him in an embrace, hoping to comfort his brother the way he always had, assuring him that everything would be alright, even if Fili wasn't sure it would be.

"We'll find her, brother. You need to be calm. We need to be quick, and you need to draw your bow. You need to be prepared for danger." Fili hated to suggest to his brother that Reese or Borgia may have succombed to a silent threat but he needed his brother to focus on the possibility that they may be attacked at any moment and there may be danger afoot.

His words had the desired effect on Kili whose vision seemed to clear as he nodded and reached for his bow, cocking an arrow as they returned to the path. They began to move as quietly and swiftly as they could up the path. Kili was a better tracker than Fili, and he often stopped to examine the path, searching to see where Reese and Borgia may have strayed from the trail.

They finally picked up their trail, relieved at least not to find signs of any attack. It appeared instead that they had simply veered off the path. Fili glanced at his brother uneasily, who nodded at him briefly before they followed where Reese and Borgia had departed. Kili became confused as their path led them deeper and deeper into. There was no sign that Reese or Borgia had been forced from the path, which at first he found comfort in, but he couldn't fathom why in the name of Mahal they would venture this far into the forest.

Kili felt a modicum of relief as he heard water rushing ahead. This must be the reason for Reese and Borgia's departure, in search of water. He knew how much Reese loved water, and his step lightened as he broke through the trees at the bank of the stream, knowing he'd see them at the water's edge. All irritation he had towards her disappeared in his gladness to have found her.

Kili stopped in surprise when he saw no sign of them. Turning in confusion, he glanced up and down the stream, trying to see if they had maybe found a pool to rest by. His eyes caught a trail of two sets of muddy prints that traveled up the stream, back in the direction they company had come from that day. Kili began to jog along the path, not noticing that Fili had paused behind him, looking anxiously up the stream to a point where the prints entered into the water. Kili stopped at this point before staring around again in confusion. He couldn't understand why Reese and Borgia's prints would stop at this point.

Kili glanced around searching for anything he may have missed, a sign that they had turned to cut back through the trees from this point, but he didn't find any. All he could see was their two sets of prints entering into the water with no sign of their returning to the shore. He wasn't concerned that they had drowned in the water, knowing Reese was a strong swimmer and would have little trouble in a shallow stream like this.

Kili looked around in confusion before looking up at his brother who was approaching him slowly, having lowered his sword as he moved carefully towards his brother. Kili looked at Fili in bewilderment, pausing when he noticed an odd look in his brother's eyes. Fili seemed to be waiting for Kili to do or say something, and Kili opened his mouth to ask Fili what was going on when Kili realized what Fili already knew.

Kili shook his head in denial as Fili stopped beside him, reaching to touch Kili's arm in concern. "No," Kili said in disbelief. "No," he repeated, not willing to believe the reality he saw in Fili eyes. Kili turned slowly back to the stream, searching on the opposite bank in vain for footprints exiting the stream on other side. "No!" he said again, his voice nothing more than a whimper. His eyes began to cloud with tears as he continued to frantically scan the ground on either bank, desperate to find any sign of the direction Reese and Borgia had gone in. He now knew that he would never find one. There was no way to track Borgia and Reese if they didn't want to be found.

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><p>Reese swore as she slipped on a muddy slope, hardly able to see for the constant deluge of rain around her and Borgia as they entered into the valley of Adelaide. Although they were only a few hundred meters from the castle, they couldn't even see it out through the wall of rain.<p>

The sky lit up, followed by a loud crack of thunder. Pissing rain, Reese thought wryly. It described the current downpour aptly.

She pulled herself out of the mire. She'd fallen several times and was coated completely in mud that stuck stubbornly to her clothing despite the torrential downpour.

She felt Borgia grip her arm as he helped her to her feet. "I'm starting to wonder if I should just crawl the last few hundred meters," she commented sarcastically. He didn't respond, but she didn't expect him to. Kili would have laughed and made a joke, maybe a sexual innuendo about time spent on her knees if they were alone. Reese's jaw tightened at the thought. She took a moment to stand, hands on hips as her head sagged forward while she squeezed her eyes tightly, forcing her tears back.

It had taken Reese two whole days to realize what a monstrous decision she had made. She and Borgia had followed the stream west back towards Adelaide for several miles before exiting the water. They hadn't immediately gone back to the castle. Reese had been unable to stomach the idea of answering the Futurian's questions and instead chose to travel north for a week, stopping at various small establishments.

As they'd been walking along a dusty road two nights after abandoning Kili, Reese had stopped suddenly, her face twitching with a sudden onset of panic. Borgia had glanced at her anxiously, and she'd turned to him suddenly. "Oh fuck," she said, staring at him. "Oh fuck, Borgia, what have I done?" She'd swayed on the spot, and Borgia had moved to grab her, helping her stumble to the side of a road to sit on a large rock. "Oh fuck," she'd said again.

Her hands had begun to tremble as she drew her arms around her abdomen, staring blankly in horror as she shook her head. "Oh fuck, Borgia, what have I done? What have I done? I didn't even give him a chance to explain. What have I done?" Her voice had been flat in dismay. He'd stared at her for a moment, unsure what to say. Comforting people wasn't something that he was good at. He could manage to seem sympathetic if it suited his purpose, which was usually to lure someone into his clutches or to get something he needed from someone. But he was never truly sympathetic as he typically was unconcerned about the pain others experienced. Nonetheless, he cared about Reese as much as he was capable of and he wanted to find a way to help her.

She'd looked up at him, her eyes wide with dread and shame as the full understanding of her actions set in. Borgia opened his mouth to speak, an unusual occurrence. "I don't know if he'll forgive you this time," he said, speaking honestly. He'd observed the young prince, seeing what Reese had put him through. He knew this wasn't what Reese wanted to hear, but not knowing what else to say he had decided that he needed to tell her what he truly thought.

Reese had nodded slowly, hardly surprised by his words. She had begun to realize herself that what she had done was so horrible, so indefensible that it was unlikely she would ever see Kili again. Until this moment, she'd been so clouded by her own childish pride, her own unreasonable fury and unwillingness to consider that he might have had good reason to expect her to accommodate the dwarven customs, but she hadn't even given him a chance to explain or to discuss it with her.

She'd brought one hand to her head and sat in this posture for several hours, passersby staring at her curiously, until finally Borgia urged her to leave the road to find a safer place to spend the night. Reese hadn't slept at all. After lying in a rigid posture trying to sleep, she'd gotten up to join Borgia by the fire. Finally the tears had come, and Borgia had moved to hug her, knowing this is what people often wanted at these times, as she sobbed her guilt and despair.

It had been a long while before she'd calmed and had sat staring into the fire in silence. Finally she'd spoken. "What's wrong with me, Borgia?" Her voice had been small and sad as she had begun to realize what a problem this side of her was causing. "There is something horribly wrong with me," she'd continued. "What kind of a person does something like this?"

He'd looked at her, unsure what to say, before shaking his head in response. He truly did not understand what it was that made Reese make the impulsive selfish choices that seemed to only cause her and those around her pain. Although he'd never seen her do something this terrible, it wasn't the first time that this side of her personality had caused problems for her. She wasn't like this all the time, but it had been worse once the dwarves had come to Adelaide as her anxiety at the idea of falling in love had mounted.

She'd shown growth over the last three weeks as she'd allowed herself to trust Kili, but Borgia wasn't surprised that she had fallen back into old ways when faced with the stress of the lecture she'd received from Gloin about what she could expect of her life in Erebor. Borgia had little faith in people's ability to change. They always returned to their old ways. He hadn't been prepared for such a cataclysmic choice as this, though, but he hadn't questioned her. Reese and Adam were the only ones who truly accepted and understood what he was, and he was devoted to them and rarely questioned them.

They'd known it was futile to pursue the dwarves. They'd been travelling for two days away from the dwarves, who presumably had continued to travel towards Erebor, although it was hard to say if Kili decided to stay with the company or to try follow Reese and Borgia. Either way, it was unlikely they would have been able to find them. Reese had also been unsure if Kili would even want to see her. And so they'd returned to Adelaide where she now found herself standing outside of her quartres in a puddle of water.

"Hey Reese!" she heard someone exclaim. "What are you doing here? Everything okay?" Reese only waved dismissively as she let herself into her quarters. She'd managed to avoid running into anyone as she'd made her way to her door, and she didn't care if she as being rude. They could add her rudeness to the buzz of gossip that was going to spring up around her return, only three weeks after her tearful goodbyes to her people as she set forth towards her new life with the dwarves. She'd been allowed to keep her quartres to store her things, which Michelle had been planning to bring with her to Erebor when she reunited with Bofur.

Shutting the door carefully, Reese turned to survey her quartres, her heart clenching as she caught Kili's musky and smoky scent. She glanced around the cold empty living room that had only a few short weeks ago been a place of passion, laughter, and whispered words of love. The room was gloomy with only pale light coming from the bedroom window that provided a view of the torrential downpour outside. The rooms were eerily silent, no noise except the sound of the rain hitting the windows and distant voices in the hall that she felt no attachment to.

Another clap of thunder shook the castle. The storm appeared to be moving away as the thunder wasn't quite as loud.

Pulling off her muddy boots, Reese moved to the door of her bedroom, mud and water dripping from her as she went. She halted, considering the room. His scent was stronger here, not surprisingly. Moving to the bed, she reached out slowly to stroke the comforter, clenching her jaw as she swallowed thickly, before turning to sink down on the edge of the bed, dropping her bag beside her. Ache and loneliness permeated her as she leaned her head in her hands. Closing her eyes, she felt the cold stillness settle around her as she breathed deeply, willing herself to accept the new reality of her life. Feeling herself begin to tremble again, she drew her feet up onto the bed, tucking her knees under her chin and wrapping her arms tightly around her legs as sobs wracked her body.

She felt as though she had no right to cry knowing that her aloneness and heartbreak were entirely her own fault, but the constant hollow ache that had grown inside of her after leaving Kili was too painful. She cried for herself, and she cried for Kili too who had the misfortune of falling in love with a person like her who treated him with no consideration for the person he was, a person who loved her and who had needs and rights and deserved respect. She cried as she realized that she hadn't deserved him, that she was too broken, too disgusting, too selfish to ever deserve being loved by someone so kind and pure as he had been.

As her sobs stilled, Reese returned her feet to the floor, planting her hands on the edge of the bed as she took several deep breaths. Moving to stand up, Reese cursed as her bag slid off the bed, the contents scattering over the floor and rolling under the bed. Sighing in frustration, she dropped to her knees to gather her belongings, throwing clothing and food and daggers back onto the bed. Reese saw one object had rolled far under the bed, nestled against the wall far away from her. Reese grunted as she had to crawl on the floor under her bed to reach the object, groaning and wriggling forward as she stretched her hand, her fingers barely able to grasp it. She noted she needed to clean under her bed as her arms shifted the layer of dust and lint on the stone floor. She grunted as she squirmed out from under the bed again, sneezing as she stirred up another cloud of dust.

Breathing slightly heavily from the exertion, Reese rose to her knees to throw the object onto the bed with the others when the world around her slowed. She stared in horror at the object in her hand, suddenly very aware of the sound of her own breath and heart beat. It had clearly been under the bed for a long time as it was covered in a thick layer of dust from weeks of being in its hiding place. In fact, Reese knew that it had been there for four weeks to be more accurate. Reese's mouth went dry as she realized she hadn't even missed it, that in the flurry of her passionate love affair with the dwarf she hadn't even realized it was missing, a truly astonishing reality considering the importance she always placed on this item. It has been nearly essential to her daily functioning.

Reese's mind raced to when it would have gone missing, even though she'd failed to notice its absence at the time, thinking back to the day she'd returned from Rivendell. She was able to picture the exact moment that the object had fallen to the floor from her dresser and rolled under the bed.

_He increased his pace, wrenching strangled cries from her body each time he plunged into her. Her dresser was shaking as she shamelessly pushed back against him to meet each thrust, sending bottles and books sliding to the floor. She didn't even waver when she heard glass smashing, hungrily rolling her hips to meet his. Before she could reach her climax, Kili stopped all movement and pulled her up to his chest, arching her almost painfully against his chest while she was still impaled by him._

She had been sure she'd found everything that had fallen from the dresser.

Reese's door suddenly burst open as Michelle rushed in, closely followed by Sarah, Janine, and Julie. "Reese!" Michelle exclaimed, scared by Reese's return to the castle. "What happened? What are you doing here?" Alarm rose in Michelle's voice as she saw Reese standing frozen, with a look of horror plastered on her face, not even moving to respond to Michelle's words.

Michelle's voice tightened in panic as she rushed to Reese's side, grabbing her shoulders and turning Reese to look at her. "Reese! What happened? Where's the company? Are they okay? Are you hurt? Is Bofur okay?" Michelle's voice took a frantic edge as Reese didn't respond to her questions.

Reese turned to look at Michelle, a look of shock on her face as she brought her hand up between them, tightly gripping the container of Elven herbs Reese took to prevent pregnancy.

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><p><strong>AN: Does it make it better that from the first moment I started writing this fic, way back in January, that I always knew Reese would abandon Kili? Thank you everyone for your astonishing reviews, PMs, follows, and favourites. XO RP**


	26. A Different Kili

**A/N: Welcome everyone to the second half of this story. Please see below for some important notes about what's planned for upcoming installments, particularly the plans for a sequel. Thank you for all of your reviews, follows, and favourites. I own nothing but the Futurians. **

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><p><em>Three Months Later ...<em>

Kili stood on the high balcony overlooking the great hall filled with celebrating dwarves. He preferred being up here out of the noise and excitement, allowed to be left alone with his thoughts not bothered by the courtiers and family who had begun to flood the castle from Ered Luin, eager to reestablish their lives and help with rebuilding the kingdom.

He scanned the crowd and his gaze landed on his mother, uncle, and brother who were standing together talking to an elderly dwarf who had Thorin's forearm clasped in his. He appeared to be expressing gratitude to Thorin, whose face was solemn and respectful as he listened to the dwarf.

In the beginning, Kili had stood by his uncle's side, as Fili was doing now, listening to dwarves' declarations of joy and grumblings about the state of the kingdom and the work that needed to be done to return the kingdom to its previous glory.

Kili had tried to pay attention to what dwarves said to the royals, to appear interested, to laugh at people's jokes, to make jokes of his own, to share exciting stories of the adventure, and to say respectful words of those who had sacrificed their lives for the cause. However, no one had been fooled by his efforts, and he'd grown weary of the odd looks he'd begun to get from people during these conversations, the comments a that he didn't seem himself and was he unwell.

It had been particularly difficult when his cousin, Gimli, had arrived at Erebor. Gimli hadn't joined them on the quest. He'd wanted to come but Gloin and Gimli's mother, Enna, hadn't allowed Gimli to go. However, Gimli had been among the first to arrive at Erebor.

Fili had been delighted to see their older cousin, but Kili had found it difficult to muster the enthusiasm for spending time with his friend. Kili had little enthusiasm for anything at this time, and Gimli had said so when Kili hadn't even wanted to train, stating insensitively that Kili appeared to sulking like a sad puppy when the time was at hand for fun, celebration, and hard work.

The attention Kili had begun to gather was worsened as people began to stare pointedly at the mug of ale that appeared to be constantly in his hands, always being replenished. As such, Kili had found he preferred his perch on the balcony, away from the prying eyes and gossiping tongues. He turned away from the gathering and sat with his back against the stone railing, careful not to injure the wound to his ribs, leaning his head back and shutting his eyes. He felt another headache building and could hear a slight buzzing in his ears.

As usual when sober and alone, his thoughts turned to the events of the previous four months. When he'd realized Reese had abandoned him, he'd collapsed in the mud along the stream, grateful that only his brother was present to hear his cries and see his tears. Fili had held him close, waiting until Kili had been able to compose himself enough to return to the company.

Kili had allowed himself to be ushered along in a seeming daze. He'd traveled at the front, right behind Thorin, so that his face was hidden from the curious and confused eyes of his companions. There had been no question of whether or not to continue on the quest, even as much as he'd wanted to chase after Reese, to make her come back to him. At first he'd been too dazed to make any decisions, and the choice was made for him by Thorin and Fili.

As they put distance between themselves and Adelaide, Kili's heart began to harden as he realized that Reese didn't want him anymore. He wasn't one to force himself on someone if they didn't want him, even the one Mahal had meant for him. He was needed on the quest, and he wasn't about to turn back and abandon his kin for a woman who clearly never wanted to see him again.

And so he'd continued, nursing his broken heart. He continued to find it nearly impossible to believe that Reese would abandon him in this way without a word. He had been so sure of their future together, of their ability to overcome any obstacle before them, that their love would be enough for both of them no matter what difficulty they faced. Their future had been bright and shining and full of hope, no matter what problems they faced after Erebor was reclaimed. Kili had been overjoyed that he had been so lucky to find the woman he was to spend the rest of his life with, that she loved him in return, and that he had her all to himself.

As the journey continued, Kili became obsessively focused on the goal to reclaim Erebor, channeling his hurt and despair into the quest. He ignored Fili's concerned looks as his behaviour became more reckless and dangerous. Slowly a numbness had set in, lessening the pain in his heart to a dull ache.

Then there had been Tauriel, the red headed elf who had saved his life. Twice. The second time, she had lost her own in order to protect the line of Durin from death during the battle. He had loved her, but not as he loved Reese. Now that he had found his One in Reese, he knew he would never be capable of loving another in the same way, even if he never saw his One again.

He'd never had the chance to tell Tauriel about Reese. Everything had happened so quickly, the attack and death of Smaug, following Thorin to Erebor, Thorin's betrayal by Bilbo, and the battle. There hadn't been time, and in his optimism he thought he'd always have enough time.

He'd been devastated when Tauriel had died. He'd been badly injured, not sure if he was going to live, mistakenly thinking Fili and Thorin had already died before him. He'd watched in horror as Tauriel had defended them from the great Orc who was determined to eradicate the Line of Durin. His heart had stopped as he'd seen the mace fly through the air towards her, ready to finally find it's mark, but not before she had been able to slice her knife through the Orc's jugular, ending his life forever. But Kili had only seen how her body had broken under the weight of the blow, crumpling to the ground, already lifeless. He'd screamed her name over and over unable to get to her. He'd hoped and hoped that she would awaken, that he'd see any sign of life from her, but nothing had come, and the battle had raged on around him.

Kili had been completely unprepared for what he'd seen in battle. He'd been horrible naive about what it would be like to have his kin dying around him. He'd never had to see his people die, and his inability to help had been excruciating for him. Being unable to protect his brother, his uncle, his kin, and Tauriel had been devastating for him. He had horrible guilt over the losses he'd been unable to stop.

He had no desire to remember the battle but it seemed that he couldn't get the sounds of the cries, the calls for help, out of his mind. It was worse at night when he wanted to sleep. When his defenses were low, just as he was drifting off, the memories would begin. The sounds of the battle around him would give way to Tauriel's voice, warm and magical, never to be heard again. Images would pass before his eyes of broken bodies of the battle and Tauriel's crumpled frame. Sometimes the images and sounds came so quickly that he feared he'd go mad as his mind rejected the stress and anxiety of the flashbacks. And then just when he didn't think he could take anymore, he would see her. Reese. And his heart would break into a thousand pieces, as though he was realizing all over that she'd left him.

He'd taken to drinking ale, hoping to consume enough that he would pass out without having to experience the onslaught of memories. It usually worked, at least for a few hours, but as it wore off he'd awaken in the middle of the night cold and alone. Sometimes he didn't realize where he was, thinking he was back in Adelaide, and would reach across the bed for Reese, only to find it empty. And then everything would come flooding back to him. It was at these times, in the dead of the night when he was alone, that he let himself cry, burying his face in his pillow to stifle the wails as his body shuddered with sobs.

Now that the quest was over, Kili had no intention of going back to Adelaide. He hadn't been sure for a long time, but now he knew he would never see Reese again. She didn't want him, and he was destined to spend the rest of his life pining for someone he could never have. And so he was faced with the question of what to do with his life moving forward.

Kili was still sitting against the railing with his eyes closed when he heard uneven steps approach. He didn't need to open his eyes to see that Thorin was limping towards him. Thorin had sustained a bad injury to his leg in the battle. Oin said he would make a full recovery but that he would be in pain for quite awhile yet.

Thorin was closely followed by Fili, and they leaned against the railing next to Kili. Kili didn't look at them, instead turning to look away in irritation as he resigned himself to another lecture. At least his mother wasn't accompanying them, this time. His mother had been delighted to see her sons at first but had quickly realized that something was wrong, horribly wrong, with her youngest son. For the longest time, no one had explained to Dis the details of what had happened to Kili, wishing to respect Kili's privacy. However, finally Thorin had told her the story of what had transpired between Kili and the Futurian and the losses Kili had suffered on the battlefield.

Dis was no stranger to grief, having lost both her husband and brother in battle, but had always tried to protect her children from the pain. She'd tried to help Kili, to heal his wounds, through lecturing and trying to force him to be involved with the events surrounding them. However, her well intended speeches and efforts had only served to alienate her further from her precious child.

Kili, Fili, and Thorin remained in silence listening to the revelries below them before Thorin finally spoke. "Kili, Balin and I are travelling to Bree in two days, and I want you to accompany me."

Kili couldn't help but look at Thorin in shock and saw Fili also looking at Thorin in stunned silence. "Bree!" Kili exclaimed, rising to his feet quickly, swaying slightly before catching his balance on the railing. "Whatever for?"

"But Uncle! Who will look after the kingdom and oversee the repairs?" Fili asked at the same time, less concerned about the purpose of the trip than about who would be in charge.

"You will, Fili," Thorin said. "This is why I haven't asked you to accompany me." Fili lapsed into anxious silence, pondering the charge he had just learned he would be left with. "Don't fret," Thorin continued. "Dwalin will be here to help you."

Thorin then paused for a moment, clearly considering his next words carefully. He cleared his throat and stared down at his hands, which Kili now noticed were clasped together rather tightly. "It is my hope," Thorin continued slowly, pausing again as he swallowed carefully, his eyes never leaving his hands, "that when we travel to Bree that my One will agree to be my wife."

If Thorin had not been so unnerved by his disclosure, he would have found the expressions on his nephews' faces comical. After a moment, Kili realized Thorin must be joking, and his face cracked into a wide grin. One of the first he had worn in weeks. Fili looked less convinced as he stared wide eyed at his brother.

The silence stretched briefly between them before Thorin looked up, seeing Kili's fading smile. Noting the serious look on his uncle's face, Kili quickly became alarmed. "You're joking," Kili said, more a statement than a question. He glanced at his brother again who looked even more dumbfounded. "Uncle, I don't understand," Kili continued while Fili remained in confused silence.

Thorin glanced at Kil in irritation. "Could I not be plainer?" he growled. "In two days time, we are departing for Bree to seek out my One, the woman I have been in love with for seven years, to see if she will agree to be my wife."

"Wait," said Fili, suddenly finding his voice. "Bree? Seven years? You don't mean …."

Kili stared in confusion at his brother who appeared to have some knowledge of this mystery person who resided in Bree. Thorin glanced at Fili, seemingly aware of his thoughts before Fili was.

"You don't mean that _woman_? That skinny, red headed, _woman of men_?" Fili's tipped his head slightly as though finally understanding a joke. "Uncle, you can't be serious," he smirked, his face incredulous as it was his turn to grin at his uncle

Thorin's rage was immediate and terrifying. "Enough!" he shouted, slamming his hand on the railing, making Kili and Fili jump, the grins leaving their faces quickly. "You are talking about your future queen!"

The brothers glanced at each other in alarm as Kili tried to read Fili's expression, desperate to understand who this person was, this daughter of the race of men, who uncle claimed to be in love with. Kili was starting to panic as he wondered if maybe Thorin had suffered a head injury during the battle that had forced him to take leave of his senses.

Thorin sighed deeply, bracing himself against the railing. He stood in silence for a long time before he began his story of the red headed female healer of men in Bree who he claimed was the love of his life.

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><p><strong>AN: Not my best chapter, but oh well :D Sometimes I am faced with the decision to post or to spend another week agonizing over it. ****I never intended to write the quest and was surprised that Reese joined it at all. The quest has been written so many times in FF by much better writers than I am. So I decided to stick to what I do best, which is make stuff up that Tolkien never even came near writing. However, there were some main plot points that I wanted to draw forward, resulting in this chapter's being about Kili's memories. The next chapter will be about Reese.**

**MOST IMPORTANTLY, if any of you follow kkolmakov's work, you may notice a character of hers (red headed healer) is referred to in this chapter. I've been so excited to tell everyone this news, but I wanted to wait until now for the big reveal. There will be a sequel to this story called _Two by Two. _It will be a collaboration with kkolmakov. ****I've always wanted to cowrite with someone, and the opportunity to do so with a writer I adore is amazing. Also, even though this story is about Reese and Kili, I wanted to pair Thorin up with someone. Kkolmakov's character, Wren, is such a perfect fit for Thorin that I didn't want to create someone less adequate for him. Kkolmakov will have guest chapter coming up right away, and then _Two by Two _will be a series of double shots where we each write half of each chapter from our OC's POV.**

**Note: the Wren that will be included her and in _Two by Two_ is an AU Wren. The Thorin I write is very different from kkolmakov's Thorin, and so she's creating a different version of Wren to fit with the Thorin in this story. Therefore, Wren will have some different details from the Wren kkolmakov usually writes about. **

**You can find a link to kkolmakov on my profile page. She and I also cowrote a piece that you can find in my _Thundering Moments of Tenderness Rage_ story, which is more integrated than what we have planned for _Two by Two_. **


	27. Good News

**A/N: As usual, long waits between updates usually mean that life has exploded a little bit. I absolutely have not lost interest in this story. Work has been busy. I had a job interview and have been offered the job, which likely means in three months I'll be switching again. Yes, I did just start the current job three months ago, as I noted in one of my previous updates. The underlying message is that I'm really looking forward to having life settle, but I'm starting to realize that if I wait for life to settle to write FF, I'll never get anything written. Sometimes I'm writing one sentence a day, but at least it's happening. I'm tired and this A/N is getting rambly, so I think I'll just post and go to bed. Thank you for all of your support to date, and a reminder that I own nothing.**

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><p>Reese rushed down the hallway, smiling at several Futurians as she passed them, turning into a smaller hallway and knocking briefly on a door before entering.<p>

"Sorry I'm late," she gasped, annoyed at how often she found herself short of breath these days, as she settled into a chair, tucking her growing bangs behind her ear in a futile attempt to keep her hair out of her eyes. "I got held up in the stables."

The woman turned to her smiling, her deep brown hair swept attractively off her face. Reese was always stunned by, and slightly jealous of, the woman's beauty, her chocolate eyes and velvet brown skin with her dark thick hair that when worn loose tumbled past her hips. "That's perfectly alright, Reese," the woman said in the British accent she had managed to maintain despite living in a compound of mostly North American Futurians for over a hundred years. The elegant inflection to her speech seemed to quickly establish her authority, always making Reese feel as though she had to sit up straight and speak in a polite and careful tone.

The woman turned away from her, and Reese understood that she was expected to wait until she was spoken to again. She glanced around the room, examining the vials and jars that the woman had managed to accumulate to aid in her practice, largely with Reese's help over the past years.

"And how have you been feeling," the woman asked, her back still turned to Reese.

"Fine," Reese said. "Just very tired, but everything else is fine. I wouldn't know I was pregnant if I weren't so tired." Reese thought about how exhausted she felt, particularly in the evenings, and what a monumental effort it was for her to accomplish any task. She was still travelling to communities for trading, although she now rode in the wagon rather than risking a fall from the pony.

She had never been this fatigued with her previous two pregnancies, and the fatigue appeared to be worsening as the pregnancy progressed. At the end of the day she found when she sat down and she could spend hours in the same spot, just thinking, too tired to move her body, to get food, or even go to her bed.

"And still no morning sickness?" the woman asked, finally turning towards Reese and motioning for Reese to lie down on the cot to the side of the room. Reese settled on her back as the woman brought her hands to Reese's abdomen, palpitating her skin to feel for the top of her uterus to gauge the size of the baby and how advanced her pregnancy was.

"None at all," Reese said. "It's so weird. With both of my sons, I was never tired, but I was sick as a dog for the entire nine months."

The woman nodded thoughtfully as she marked and noted the location of Reese's uterus. Dr. Orrisa, who Reese never called by her first name, had been a general practitioner before being transported to Middle Earth, and she was the only physician in Adelaide. There was also a nurse, who had worked in remote parts of Northern Canada and was used to sparse conditions, allowing her to adapt easily to Middle Earth when she arrived, and a pharmacist, who seemed to know a lot about how to gather herbs from the wild for medical purposes. All three were kept incredibly busy.

Dr. Orrisa ran her practice similarly to what she'd done in the future, holding regular appointments, keeping patient charts, and adapting remarkably well to the resources available in Middle Earth. She frequently travelled with Reese to Rivendell to consult with the elves, who found the Futurian doctor had a great deal to contribute in terms of medical knowledge about humans, which the elves seemed interested in.

"Well, it's understandable that you are not reacting how you typically would considering this is not a typical pregnancy," Dr. Orrisa said as she examined Reese's hands and feet for swelling, tapping lightly on her knees to check her responses. Reese nodded but didn't answer. They remained silent for the remainder of the examination.

"Well, based on what we learnt from the elves about the typical dwarven gestation period of 48 months, as well as the height of your fundus, I would say we were right in thinking that your pregnancy will last anywhere from fourteen to eighteen months. If this is the case, you will likely still be exhausted for another two months, at which point you'll of course move into the second trimester, again assuming the trimesters will be the same with this pregnancy. We have no reason to think it wouldn't be, so let's go with that. Pay attention to when that happens because it will help us know when you can expect to deliver."

Reese had heard all of this before. She saw Dr. Orissa almost semi weekly whenever possible. The good doctor had expressed concern about the atypicality and therefore potential danger of the pregnancy, but Reese sometimes felt the doctor wanted to see her so frequently for interest's sake as well. According to the elves, this was the first they'd heard of a half human half dwarf baby, which they hadn't been sure was even possible. Reese had laughed at this news considering how easily she'd managed to get pregnant. It wasn't as though it had been hard, and it wasn't as though there hadn't been other opportunities in history for dwarves to get human women pregnant according to Thorin and Kits of their bedding nearly anything that moved.

Reese had been stunned to hear about how long the pregnancy might be though. She couldn't imagine being pregnant for a year and a half, as she was expecting to be, let alone the four years that female dwarves spent carrying their children. After hearing this, Reese hadn't been surprised that dwarves bore so few children.

The doctor suddenly drew Reese from her musings. "Have you given any more thought to contacting the father?"

Reese shook her head, dropping her face to stare pointedly at the floor so as to avoid eye contact. Despite being fully aware of Reese's circumstances, Dr. Orrisa'a unyielding professional demeanour made Reese's situation sound like a typical 21st century accidental pregnancy where Reese was trying to decide if the father should know about the child. Reese felt that carrying the child if one of the Princes of Erebor was a slightly different circumstance.

"No," Reese said, without offering further information. They'd had the same conversation repeatedly ever since the doctor had confirmed Reese's pregnancy three months ago. Reese's emotional state had improved significantly since then, but she still remained unsure how to proceed in terms of letting Kili know he was going to father a child.

Dr. Orrisa nodded as she made another note on Reese's chart. "Well, as I said, it would be helpful to have his information, and to maybe have access to a Dwarven healer who may be able to help us better understand what to expect in terms of the delivery and the size of the fetus."

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind," Reese said noncommittally as she nodded, continuing to stare at her feet.

Gail had been particularly preoccupied with the size of the baby and had mentioned several times that the dwarves who had visited Adelaide appeared to be built particularly broadly and had very large heads, wondering what implications this had for Reese's ability to deliver the baby.

Reese had never had difficulty with her previous deliveries, although she was nervous at the prospect of having to deliver a baby without an epidural. Dr. Orrisa was an extremely competent doctor, and Reese was sure that she was in good care for delivery. She shared Dr. Orissa's fear, though, about what would happen if the baby was breach or or too big and if Reese needed a C-section, considering how risky C-sections were to perform in Middle Earth, as it was with any major surgery since there wasn't anesthetic or antibiotics. Reese wasn't convinced that contacting Kili would help with this, though. While Dr. Orrisa desired more information, she'd agreed that in the end no one really knew what to expect considering the unique circumstances.

After her appointment, Reese let herself into her quartres, hearing a soft thud from her bedroom. "Hi sweetie," Reese called. "How we as your day, you gorgeous thing?" A fat chocolate point ragdoll cat sidled towards her from the room where he'd just jumped from, meowing loudly and sliding its arched back against any wall or furniture it encountered in its progress towards Reese.

The cat stopped just out of reach, its back arched against the divan as its rumbling purr filled the room. He squinted his blue eyes up at her affectionately as Reese tried to pet him unsuccessfully. While he appeared to wish for her to touch him, he truly wanted to entice her to the bed, as was his typical game. He jumped away from her, trotting playfully back towards the bedroom, his loose fat belly swinging side to side as he went. "Do you want some loving, darling?" Reese asked as she followed the cat. Once in the bedroom, he jumped onto the bed, immediately flopping onto his side and looking up at her, putting even more loudly as he languidly curled his fat chocolate brown tail and lazily stretched his velvety paw forward, lying in perfect position to receive long slow strokes along his ribs.

The cat was one of the two most recent Futurians to join the community having arrived in Middle Earth a week after Reese's return to Adelaide. He'd arrived with an 80 year old woman, Marthe, who had steely grey tightly curled hair and a gruff voice that carried a light French rural farm accent often found in the Canadian Prairie Provinces, like Saskatchewan and Manitoba, that Reese herself had come from. The cat belonged to Marthe, but he had taken a liking to Reese, which was quite the feat considering how grouchy he was with everyone else. He'd actually chased Janine out of Reese's living room the day before, and Janine knew to run because she'd had her calf bitten the first time it had happened.

Reese stretched on the bed beside the cat, who Reese had started to call Lover Bunny. Marthe called him Grumpy Bastard, but Reese far preferred the gentler moniker. Resting her cheek on her hand as the cat allowed her the pleasure and privilege of stroking his luscious fur, she lay thinking about Kili.

Reese had been travelling with Borgia and Adam two weeks ago when she learned that the dwarves had successfully reclaimed Erebor and that Kili and Thorin had survived. They had been on the Great East Road, deep in the Lone-lands west of Rivendell, when in the distance they saw a large convoy moving towards them. The area was sparsely populated at best, and they would have been surprised to see any person, let alone a convoy. Adam had directed as far off the road as possible without getting stuck in the boggy terrain. There weren't any trees or bushes to take cover behind, leaving them feeling uncomfortable exposed.

Reese had felt herself tense as she'd watched the large convoy draw closer, squinting her eyes at them before gasping loudly. "They're dwarves!" Even Borgia had appeared astonished as they'd taken in the scene before them. Dozens, even hundreds, of bearded dwarves, travelling with carts loaded with furniture and supplies.

The three had stood in stunned silence, no need to look at each other to know that they all understood what this meant. There was only one explanation for finding this many dwarves travelling east. East towards Erebor.

They'd stood watching them pass when Adam had suddenly approached a dwarf with red hair, bowing to him respectfully. Adam always had a way with dwarves. He seemed to understand their guarded temperament, and they seemed to feel more at ease with him than they did with Reese and Borgia. As Adam had stood stalking to the dwarf, Reese and Borgia had approached from behind, standing just close enough to overhear their conversation.

"What of the king and young princes? Did they survive the battle?" Adam had been asking. The dwarf had puffed out his chest proudly as he reported the victory of the Durin's folk.

"Aye," he had said. "They were injured, but they survived, and the king has taken his rightful place. He has a bad injury to his leg, but we've been told he will heal with time."

Reese had felt herself exhale, not realizing she'd been holding her breath, and had been glad that Borgia had been there for her to lean on as she felt weak with relief. She had then thanked Adam silently when he had asked his next question. "And the company who had been traveling with him?"

The dwarf had looked at him suspiciously at Adam's knowledge of Thorin's company but had been too proud of the victory to stop himself. "All survived," he had said, "although losses to dwarves in battle were significant."

Reese had sighed again, happy to be able to tell Michelle that Bofur was well. Reese had been able to imagine Michelle's joy at the news.

Reese's eyes had moved over the crowd of passing dwarves as she'd continued to listen to the details of the battle when suddenly her heart lurched. She'd been sure she'd just seen Thorin, but she had to be wrong. If Thorin had been amongst the dwarves, he would have been leading them. The person she'd thought was Thorin had disappeared, and she told herself it must have been a trick of her eyes.

Then she thought she'd seen him again. She'd only caught his profile this time before she'd stepped behind Borgia who looked at her curiously. She caught sight of the back of Thorin when she remembered that the dwarf Adam was speaking to had said Thorin had been injured badly in his leg. There was no way that Thorin had already travelled to Ered Luin in the two months since the battle, and there was absolutely no way he would have been well enough to be striding along without even a limp as this dwarf was. Then Reese had started to notice small differences in this dwarf's appearance that set him apart from Thorin, although the similarity was so striking that Reese had thought he must be a relative of Thorin's.

She had wracked her brain trying to remember what Thorin had told her about his family. This dwarf was shorter and his features were slightly more delicate than Thorin's, although he still held the same haughty brooding expression Thorin often adopted. Also, unlike Thorin who had a full beard that grew thickly over his jaw and chin, this dwarf's beard had been thin, not even growing fully down over his chin. It had appeared as though this dwarf was unable to grow a full beard at all.

At this thought Reese suddenly realized that she must be looking at a female dwarf. It made perfect sense. The more delicate features. The thin beard. Reese had never seen a female dwarf before and had been surprised to see that this one would have been nearly indistinguishable from the male dwarves had it not been for the light beard, which most outsiders would be unlikely to notice. Reese had then recalled the picture of Gloin's wife, feeling a pang at the memory of her own abandonment of Kili the following day, and she'd remembered Gloin's wife had been wearing a heavy velvet dress, ornate jewelry, and bore a complicated hairstyle, nothing like the female dwarf Reese found herself observing from a distance, nor the others she had then been able to pick out in the crowd.

These female dwarves had clearly dressed themselves to look like males. Reese had watched them in fascination. These were not oppressed lifeless women. Reese knew she had grossly overreacted to Gloin's description of what her future would have been at Erebor. But she was still surprised to see these female dwarves out, not shackled to a male, but instead laughing with each other loudly as they walked by confidently

Reese had looked at the Thorin-woman again and watched her curiously. Even though she laughed with the other women, she held herself apart slightly, more haughty than the others, almost as though she was royalty.

That was when Reese had realized she was looking at Dis, Kili and Fili's mother, and Thorin's sister.

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><p><strong>AN: I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my darling cat, SnookerBummer. He passed away three weeks ago, and I included an echo of him here of when he was at his healthiest. He was truly the most divine cat, so deliciously luscious. He was a real jerk, though. Peed on everything and bit everyone. He chased my mother in law out of the room once. Best moment ever. He really did lick armpits, but sadly I wasn't as smart as Reese and didn't figure out that long sleeves would help. ****I'm sure you noticed he has a friend with him here as well who loved him very very much before she herself passed away many years ago. I'm sure she's taking care of him somewhere now, and if that's the case, he's a lucky cat. They can be grumpy together. I still have one Ragdoll kitty left who's sitting proudly at the edge of the table while I type this. Now she's licking my nose.**


	28. Change is in the Hair?

The resemblance between Dis and her brother was remarkable. In fact, Reese had been able easily see traces of Fili and Kili in her as well. Her blue eyes were closer to Fili's shade than Thorin's, and Reese had noticed a definite similarity between Dis and Kili's full bottom lip. She was undeniably Thorin's sister, though, and Reese had felt extremely intimidated, even from a distance, as she watched the proud dwarrowdam walk by.

Reese had no desire to make herself known to Dis, not even as a friendly stranger. She was curious about the female dwarf, and she had felt drawn to her simply because it would make her feel closer to Kili. What purpose would it serve beyond satisfying a selfish desire for closeness with him? Reese could only imagine how intrusive such behaviour would be for Kili and his entire family.

Reese had quickly turned her face away as Dis suddenly glanced in her direction, scowling as she noticed the dwarf speaking to the Futurians. Watching from the corner of her eye, Reese hadn't been able to help smiling as the scowl made Dis look even more like her often grumpy older brother. Reese had wondered how Kili and Fili had turned out to be so good natured. Maybe their father had been of the more jolly type. Reese then reminded herself that she didn't truly know Dis and that she had no idea what sort of mother she was.

Reese had winced, however, as Dis crossly barked out something in Khuzdul to the dwarf conversing with Adam, and the dwarf had quickly ended the conversation to rejoin the procession.

Reese, Adam, and Borgia had exchanged a knowing look, eyebrows raised, as they stood together watching the procession pass. "Did you notice the resemblance?" Adam had murmured. Reese and Borgia nodded as their eyes followed Dis as she moved away from them.

"I wonder how she'd react if she knew her grandchild was being carried by a woman within a hundred meters of her?" Reese had asked quietly. They'd all laughed. Reese brought her hand to her stomach, feeling the familiar longing for a woman who knew what Reese could expect in her pregnancy carrying a half dwarf. However, she wasn't sure she would have gotten what she craved from the proud intimidating dwarrowdam who'd just passed.

"It would be so easy," Reese had murmured absently, drawing the other two out of their shared reverie.

"What?" Adam asked. Borgia looked at her questioningly.

"To just follow them, go to Erebor, just show up on their doorstep," she finished.

"What's stopping you?" Adam asked.

Reese had gazed after the dwarves disappearing into the distance. They'd talked before about her going to Kili, and she'd always said she wasn't ready, which annoyed Adam greatly. She surprised them with a different answer this time as she stood with her arms crossed, staring blankly after the caravan but not seeing it anymore as she thought about her decision.

"Because it would be thoughtless and self centered. He wouldn't get a say about if he wanted me, if I just showed up, and he's too kind and honorable to turn me away. He needs for once to get a chance to decide for himself what he wants without everything revolving around me. At the very least he deserves that."

Adam and Borgia had stared at her silently but didn't comment or argue. "So what's the plan?" Adam asked.

Reese had shaken her head. Everyone was constantly asking her what her plan was, even people who didn't know she was pregnant, sometimes just asking when she was going to contact Kili, as though it was to be assumed.

Contacting him was the right thing to do, she realized. She'd considered that it might be more selfish of her to contact him in case he didn't want to hear from her, only to tell him that the woman who had dumped him was now carrying his child, resulting in his being permanently connected to someone he may wish never to see again. But she knew that it would be more selfish not to tell him, that if he ever found out his heart would be broken by not being told. One thing Reese was sure of, possibly one of the only things she was confident of in life, was the goodness of Kili's heart and how much he would want to be involve in his child's life.

"Figure out the right time, I guess," she'd said, shrugging. Adam and Borgia didn't pursue the topic further. They'd gotten back into their wagon and had continued towards Bree, away from the dwarven caravan.

Back in Adelaide, Reese was drawn from her memories of that day by the cat's licking her skin. This was something he liked to do, probably because he liked the salt. Because of his rough tongue, it wasn't very pleasant, but Reese didn't mind letting him do it. He seemed to enjoy it so much, and it made her feel as though she was being taken care of.

She drew the line at armpits though. She'd been woken many times by the cat's licking her armpits, and she'd put a stop to that quickly by wearing long sleeves to bed.

Reese roused herself from the bed and straightened her clothes. The only thing that could get her out of bed these days was hunger, and she was famished. She let herself into the corridor, the cat trotting down the hall in front of her. Whenever the distance stretched longer than three meters between them, he flopped down onto the floor as though wishing to be petted, only to jump up and trot ahead again as soon as Reese caught up with him. "You're such a goofball," Reese muttered affectionately, only receiving a loud croaking meow in return.

When they reached the dining hall the cat strolled happily to the kitchen where he knew he'd be well fed by whoever was cooking that night, so long as they didn't try to pet him. Everyone had been bitten by him at least once if they caught him in one of his moods, which could change in a moment.

She saw Michelle, Sarah, and Janine sitting together, and they waved her over. She grinned at them and sat down. Julie joined them as soon as she saw Reese sit, leaving her brood to be watched over by Adam at a nearby table.

"So?" Janine asked in a low voice. "How was your appointment?" She spoke quietly. As Reese hadn't announced her pregnancy yet, only a handful of people knew.

"It was good. Everything is good," she said. It was hard for her to get words out as she shovelled food into her mouth, unable to stave off her hunger any longer. This pregnancy was so different from the others when she'd hardly been able to eat at all.

"Anymore thought on when you'll tell Kili? Or how you'll get word to him?" Sarah asked. Reese took a moment to think while she swallowed a particularly large mouthful. She was starting to feel like a broken record, having the same conversation over and over again, but she didn't mind. Her friends had been completely supportive, and she knew she needed to let them help her. She needed all of the help she could get, and she had finally realized that shutting people out only made her life worse when people just wanted to love her.

"I don't want to tell him anything if I don't have reason to." Reese could feel her friends gazing steadily at her uncomprehendingly. She worried her lip with her teeth before continuing, "What I mean is that since the elves told us that, as far as they knew, no one has ever conceived a half human half dwarf before, I'm reluctant to consider telling Kili anything … unnecessarily." The last word was uttered quietly, and her hand came to rest on her abdomen protectively at the thought of losing her baby to miscarriage. She knew the risks of miscarrying, even in a normal pregnancy, and she lived in constant fear of losing this child, doing everything she could within reason to be careful and stay safe, even though she knew nothing could be done to prevent a miscarriage in most cases.

"So you are going to then?" Julie asked with a slightly harsh tone.

Reese grimaced uncomfortably at the question, ignoring the tone. Despite Julie's dislike of dwarves, she'd made her annoyance with Reese clear regarding her ambivalence about contacting Kili. According to Julie, families stayed together no matter what. And Reese and Kili were now a family.

"What are you afraid of?" Janine asked, before Reese could answer Julie. Janine's question really was the more important one at present.

Reese groaned as she dropped her head into her hands, her worries flooding her mind now that she'd been asked. "A million things. The usual, that he might have someone else, that he might not want me."

"But didn't you tell me you're his One? That dwarves only love once?" Sarah asked.

"Ya, but, I think it's possible to love someone and to never want to see them again if they hurt you enough."

"Do you think you hurt him that horribly? It's not like you cheated on him or something. I mean, people break up, it happens," Sarah countered.

"I definitely didn't treat him well in the beginning, and the way I left, without saying a word ..." Reese sat, thinking back over her days with Kili before she'd abandoned him, the love in his eyes whenever he looked at her, his terror at being separated from her even for two days when she went to Rivendell. She nodded her head. "It wouldn't be honest if I said that I didn't think I actually may have hurt him that much. I think I hurt him deeply, and I don't know if he'll ever be able to fully forgive me for it. My only hope is that he's still so sweet and trusting and kind that he will be able to move past it."

Reese felt a pang of guilt at hoping that Kili's trusting, almost naive, nature would be what made him take her back. She'd been frustrated at times with how naively he saw some things, like his belief that nothing bad could happen to them. Now she hoped that this nativity ran deeply enough that he could forgive her. She'd have to examine her thoughts on this because it felt dishonest and hypocritical, and she wasn't sure she wanted to live that way. Regardless, she had to give him a chance, hoping he'd give her one too.

"Have you considered that you're making it worse by taking so long to tell him?" Julie asked.

Reese nodded again, biting her lip as she steeled herself to utter her greatest fear. "But what if he decides he doesn't want me but he takes the baby back to Erebor without me?"

The group sat in stunned silence for a moment before Sarah broke it. "I don't think he'd get away with that."

Reese didn't respond at first. Then she shrugged and said, "This is Middle Earth. We have no power here. Isn't that why we cloister ourselves in this castle. Who would stop him? The police?"

"He won't do that." Reese stared at Michelle , surprised after her friend confidently made this declaration. This was the first time Michelle had spoken. Reese hadn't expected to hear from her dearest friend, who rarely spoke up during these discussions, saving her thoughts for when she and Reese were alone.

Reese asked, "How do you know?"

Michelle's reached for her hand and and squeezed it reassuringly. "He's too good. He's a good, gentle, kind person, a selfless person, who would never be capable of doing that to someone, no matter how hurt or angry or broken he was."

Reese stared at her friend and felt calmer, even if only a bit. Smiling, Reese reached up to tuck her bangs behind her ears again, annoyed as they refused to stay, falling back into her eyes. She really needed to get a barrette for it.

"Reese, darling," Janine purred, "your hair is growing so quickly with the pregnancy. Why don't you come by my room tonight for a cut?" Janine had become the resident hairstylist. It wasn't something she'd done before, but her work in the fashion industry as a seamstress seemed to make her a natural at cutting hair.

"Oh, that's okay," Reese said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I'm growing it out."

Out of everything they'd discussed since she'd sat down at the table, this piece of news was comically the one that everyone found the most stunning. She glanced around the table in surprise at the four women who were staring at her open mouthed.

"You're growing your hair out?" Sarah repeated slowly, clearly not believing her words. "But you love your short hair. It's part of you, part of who you are."

Reese dropped her eyes to the table, uncomfortable with how vulnerable she suddenly felt, how even admitting that she hoped for a future with Kili made her feel insecure and scared. "Well, you know," she said, nervously tracing her finger over a crack in the wood of the table's surface, "I thought I might, because, well, you know, Gloin said that women in Erebor … well, I thought I should grow mine, you know ... just in case."

She risked a glance up at her friends and was surprised to see them smiling at her. She laughed nervously before asking them, "That's okay, right? I'm not giving up who I am if I do that, right?"

Reese was relieved when they all shook their heads and Sarah said, "No, I think it means you've changed even more than we all realized."

Her friends all smiled at her warmly, even Julie, and Reese felt her eyes prickle with happy tears. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve such love from these women. She noticed she wasn't the only one moved by the moment as Janine sniffed audibly. Reese reached over and hugged her friend close before changing the topic.

"So! I'm going to Bree in a few days. What does everyone want me to bring back?"


	29. Wren

**A/N: Hi everyone, the list of reasons why this update is delayed is quite long, so I won't get into it here. Thank you everyone who reviewed or PMed me to show me you're still interested in the story! It's been so frustrating not to be able to write.**

**As I mentioned previously, I've been given the opportunity to collaborate with kkolmakov, which is going to involve introducing her character, Wren, into Reese's world as Thorin's queen. _What the Future Brings_ will continue to focus on Reese and Kili, but the next few chapters also help to integrates Wren into the story. Then in the sequel to this story (titled _Two by Two_), Wren and Reese will have equally central roles. Kkolmakov has already posted a story using Thorin and Wren from Reese's world, titled _Another Night, Another Path._ That story is based entirely on the world where Reese exists and can be read independently or in conjunction with _What the Future Brings._**

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><p>Kili glared at the road ahead of him as he rode his pony on the great east road towards Bree. A stony silence had settled on the three dwarves. Kili and Thorin had just had another argument about Kili's drinking. Kili was starting to wonder if Balin was hard of hearing since he seemed unaffected by the constant tension. He seemed to realize it was a lost cause with Kili's mood and Thorin's tense anxiety, which seemed to be worsening the closer they got to Bree.<p>

They expected to arrive early the next day. They'd made good time, Thorin driving them at an unrelenting pace in his eagerness to reach Bree to find this woman. As they'd progressed, the spats had increased in frequency and intensity as Thorin appeared to become more nervous while Kili became angrier with Thorin for bringing him on this journey.

Kili felt his mood begin to calm as the silence stretched on, allowing him to return to his thoughts. He'd had time on this journey to begin to make sense of aspects of Thorin's behaviour over the past months. Thorin had been preoccupied with the restoration of Erebor, but he'd been particularly obsessed with certain details. He'd gone on and on about how important it was to restore the royal chambers, to the confusion of his nephews and council members, who thought it might be more prudent to address more pragmatic areas such as the mines, the weaponry, and building defense.

Kili now saw that Thorin had been preparing for this moment, for bringing a queen to Erebor, for giving her a home. Kili wondered for how long Thorin had been planning to go to Bree to find this woman and Kili reflected back on the evening on the balcony in Erebor when Thorin had shared his story with Fili and Kili of the healer, Wren...

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><p><em>7 years ago... (written by <span>kkolmakov<span>)_

Thorin's feet slid in the mud, his weight supported by Fili's shoulder and his sword, the Deathless, he jabbed into the ground. "Uncle, we need to move, there might be more of them..." Thorin snarled through his teeth. He knew they needed to get off the road, but the thick trickle of his blood was quickly filling his boot, and the burning wound on the side deep and open. He pressed his elbow in it. It slashed his shoulder with a new wave of livid pain. The arrow head was still stuck deep in the muscles.

By the time they reached the infirmary in Bree, the loss of blood blurred his vision, strange colourful shapes floating in his eyes. Fili pushed the door with his other shoulder and dragged him in. Thorin felt his body sagging, and he clenched his teeth. He knew Fili was wounded too, but surely the boy could have been more careful!

"Put him on the table!" A young clear voice rang, and he felt a couple of little hands on himself. They were strong, deft, and unpleasantly cold when they slid on his pulse on the neck. He winced and felt his clothes being dragged off him, brigandine jerked over his head, and he hissed. "How long have you been walking?"

"About two hours," Fili sounded exhausted, "There is a sword wound on the side, and..."

"I will see everything myself, I just need the timeline. Go with Todd, he will see to your shoulder."

"I will not leave my uncle..."

"It is my infirmary, and you will do as I say. Go!" The voice was self-assured, and Thorin involuntarily smirked. "Master Dwarf, do you hear me?" A pair of strange green eyes peered in his. He tried to focus. He realized the healer was a young maiden and cursed his luck. It would be so very foolish to die in the hands of an inexperienced girl in a rotten town of Men!

He heard the sound of his tunic being cut and cold hands lay on his abdomen. He ground his teeth and tried to focus on her. "Your name, Master Dwarf."

"Boin, son of Gloin," he felt there was no need flailing his titles around when there was price on his head.

"Well, Boin, son of Gloin, that will hurt." And it did. He growled through clenched teeth and felt as if she poked his slashed side with red hot iron bar. Something metal clanged, and he understood she pulled out a piece of the blade stuck in him. He remembered the attacker's sword breaking off the tip over his armour.

The tangy strange smell of some balm filled his nose. Then cold palm pressed into the wound, and it actually felt even tolerable. He took an easier breath and finally managed to look at her. Young, freckled nose, strange slanted eyes, and the brightest orange hair he has ever seen. Small curls around her head escaping a modest do with a braid going around her head. He hoped she was over twelve, because she surely did not look like it.

She was busy with his wound, movements confident, even white teeth worrying a plump bottom lip. And then he felt a needle going through his flesh. "I need to close the wound, the sides are too jagged." She was not talking to him obviously, but the certain, clear tone helped. He breathed through the pain.

She finished with his side, and then her hands ran over his body. He could not believe she needed guidance to locate a giant bleeding hole in his shoulder! "The shoulder..." She shushed him and continued feeling his muscles. He gnashed his teeth. The unassuming lass just shushed him! She finished her examination, and he felt the same spicy smell again. This time he knew the touch of the cold palm was coming, and he welcomed it. And then the burning pain again.

"Maiar, your tissues are so much denser than that of a Man," she jammed her surgery tool deeper into his shoulder, and white spots danced in front of his eyes. Through the haze he felt surprised at her tone. She sounded angry, as if it was his fault she could not pull the arrow head stuck in his shoulder. He turned his head and looked at her face.

Pale skin, translucent, radiant, orange freckles, frowned brows, she bit into her lower lip and pulled with a surprising strength. The arrow head clanged on the table, and she reached for another balm. "Well, Master Boin, another small prick," a curved needle appeared in her hand.

**XXX**

A week passed, and he could finally get up. He staggered into the baths and finally started to wash. He felt as if he would never feel clean again, hair entangled and dirty, his whole body covered in grime. He was soaking in the hot water, when the door flew open. Wren, as such was the name of the healer, rushed in and then swirled on her heels, having realized he was in a tub. "What are you doing, Master Dwarf?" She stood with her back to him, her voice enraged and disdainful.

"What does it look like, honourable healer?"

"You cannot stay there for so long! You were allowed to wash quickly, not soak your stitches in boiling water. I came in to make sure you are not sprawled on a floor having lost consciousness. Get out of there immediately!" He did not even know what to say. Not only she did not know her place, such insolence in a simple girl of Men, but she also was not leaving.

"Are you aware you are in a bath chamber, honourable healer? With a naked man?" His voice mocking, he pointedly made splashing noises.

Her shoulder grew tense. "I do not care what is between your legs, Master Dwarf, you are in my care. And you need to come out." Besides unexpected pleasure of teasing the contemptuous bird, he simply enjoyed the heat and the comfort of the bath. The muscles felt relaxed, skin clean and fresh, his head blissfully empty. He chuckled and considered splashing some water at her straight back. Or possibly the delightful small bum. Then he realized what he was thinking and halted.

And then she exhaled and slowly turned. Her green eyes burning, strange narrow face furious, she pointedly gave him a look over, as if saying, "Here, I am looking at you naked in a tub. So what?" and strode towards him. "Get up and get out of the cursed tub! Right now!"

He felt strange lightness in his head. He spread his arms on the edges of the bath. "Or what?" She looked good when she was angry. Feverish blush on the cheekbones, tiny hands fisted, jaw tense, she looked less of a skinny bird and more of a tongue of flame. And then he shook his head. What sort of rubbish was that thought?

"Or you will bleed out in this bath." She pointed at the water, blood speedily colouring it. He looked down and pushed up from the edges of the tub. His head swam, and he swayed. She darted forward and pushed her shoulder towards him for support. He hesitated, and she made a scornful noise. "Don't be an imbecile, you will not get out on your own."

She helped him to step out and pushed him on the nearest bench. And then she knelt in front of him, and her nimble little fingers started inspecting the wound. He heard her grumbling under her breath, and he thought he heard "cantankerous" and "puffed up". He looked down at her and then realized their positions.

He stared on the crown of her flaming head. The back of her neck was gentle and delicate, and he could see the contours of her shoulder blades under the healer's robe. She lifted her eyes at him, and he felt like a child that is about to be scolded. He felt faint and strangely giddy. And then he dove in and pressed his lips to hers. She squeaked and pushed away from him. He chuckled and gave her a look over. She sat on the floor, on her delectable backside, he thought it was time to admit he really liked the round little buttocks, her eyes wide open and pupils almost hiding the green irises. Or were they brown? Something in the middle, he thought, and smirked.

And then she lifted a brow and asked sarcastically, "How much time exactly did you spend in that tub, Master Dwarf? How delirious one has to get from blood loss to make his advances to me," the last phrase she obviously addressed to herself, after which she got up and smoothed her robe. "Let us return you to the bed, the orderly already changed your sheets." She came up to him and stretched her hand to him. "And I brought your fresh clothes, your nephew bought them."

**XXX**

Almost two months passed, and Thorin decided that this madness had to stop. The realization came when he caught himself standing in the yard of the infirmary in a foolish hope to catch a glimpse of her running by on some errands. His wounds were partially healed, and had he not been exaggerating his pain for the last two weeks, he and Fili would have been on the road.

He stayed, he complained and said he could not sleep, he refused to take draughts, and faked more pain. She inspected the wound again and again, the pulps of her fingers sliding on his skin, and she would frown. He was staring at her long elegant neck. "I do not understand, I was certain it should be healed by now. Are you sure it is not something else? How do you eat? A stomach pain perhaps?" He schooled his face into a peevish expression.

"Which one of us two is a healer, lady Wren?"

She sighed, "How many time have I asked you, master Boin, not to call me that. Honourable healer would suffice." She touched his abdomen again, and he clenched his teeth to suppress a shiver. She looked embarrassed. "I honestly do not understand..." He saw pulse beating on her neck and imagined pressing his lips to that spot. And then he berated himself for stupidity. And then imagined her neck and the narrow back with graceful shoulder blades arch while her head was dropped back in rapture.

He stood in the yard for half an hour when finally she rushed by, swift on her tiny feet, the unruly curls bobbing with each step, her head set regally and gracefully. She was chatting with another healer, and passing by she gave him a small bow. Her astonishing eyes were laughing, and he decided he was an imbecile indeed.

The last drop was the day when he realized that he was gazing on her ankles when sitting on a window sill of the sun room she was dangling her legs and chewing an apple. Was he completely out of his mind? The next thing would be writing poetry and carving her name on a tree. He mentally gave himself a smack at the back of the head. Her white teeth sank into the flesh of the fruit, and his mouth went dry. He imagined those red lips on some parts of his own anatomy, and the said parts rejoiced. That had to end, and quickly.

**XXX**

He learnt her schedule by then, and knew she was going to be in the kitchen late at night, washing vials and dosing draughts. He just needed to extinguish this strange hunger for her body and be done with it. He would have his fill, might have to go a few rounds, and leave. She was very different from the women he usually went for, too skinny, too strange. He could not understand this. What was there to entice him? She did not try to be attractive, unlike other female healers, she did not decorate her robe, hair in a simple braid, turned up nose, no curves. He even thought that perhaps once he could lay his hands on her, the hunger would go away on its own. She was all angles and bones, and that would be bones of a small bird, note the name.

If she was willing, he would just need to make sure there was no child. If she was a maiden, he could try seduction. He was not good at it, but surely a simple healer from Bree was not the most sophisticated of women. Or he would offer her money. Perhaps he could mention his title and status. If she was unwilling, that would be even better. He would leave and get to the nearest brothel. Surely they had redheads there.

**XXX**

With a clear plan in his mind he entered the kitchen and stared at her ankles. She was putting some boxes on a tall shelf, tiptoeing on the top of a ladder. She pushed the box in and climbed down. She smoothed her hair and then noticed him.

"Master Boin, are you alright? Is it the pain?" Her face was concerned, and he could not find a single word. She stepped closer and touched his shoulder. "Master Boin?.." He could see the delicate wings of her nose, long black lashes and the tender concern in her eyes, and something snapped.

His head suddenly filled with some strange roaring fire, ringing in his ears, and he grabbed her, pressed her into him, caught her mouth, greedy, hungry, pained. She whimpered and her narrow palms pressed into his chest. He did not notice. All he could feel is the smell of her skin, her hair, her delicate body under his roaming hands, her smooth skin. One of his hands grabbed the back of her dress, the second covered her breast, and his lips slipped on her jaw.

The feeling of the pulse beating on her neck suddenly returned him to reality. That and her hands gently stroking his hair and shoulders. He realized he was shaking and that she was making some small comforting noises. The absurdity of her behaviour made him halt and look at her, that was not how a potential victim of assault was to behave. His hands still clutching her dress, she cupped his face and looked into his eyes. "What is it, Master Boin? What troubles you?" And he just could not do that anymore.

"That is not my name," his voice was gruff, he took a shuddering breath in. "It is Thorin, Thorin Oakenshield." Her eyes grew wider. Her hands continued stroking his cheeks though, and she gave him a small encouraging smile.

"That is a beautiful name, Master Dwarf. It is sad it comes with so much responsibility." Her hands on his beard, she made him look into her eyes. She ran her hands through his hair and chuckled, "No wonder you are such a grouch all the time!" He hiked up his brows at her. Inconceivable woman! She smiled wider. And then suddenly he was just blurting everything out, what he felt, what the look at her body did to him, how they could never be together, how he wanted her, take her, possess her, right there, press her body into the kitchen wall, just to cope with the hunger, and pain, and the longing…

Through his absurd feverish mumbling, she was soothing him, rubbing his shoulders, and he realized she was quietly laughing and crying at the same time. "I thought I was alone in these feeling, my lord…" And he could not hold it back anymore, he jumped at her again, pushed her on the table, spread her under him, his hand rudely shoved up her skirts.

Her giant amber eyes, neither green nor brown, pupils dilated, were staring at him. And he froze. "Are you a maiden, honourable healer?" He could not believe he was even talking, his jaws clenched so hard that his words sounded like a snarl. He realized he was probably hurting her, his hands grasped on her slender shoulders, his knee pressed between her legs. Rosy blush was burning on her cheekbones, but he realized she was not fighting him. Her right hand was clenched in a small delicate fist on the table near her hip, while the left one was pressed into his chest. He took a shuddering breath in. She was not pushing him away though. The little fingers twitched, and he felt it through the tunic.

"No," she licked her lips, he felt his whole body jolt, "And yes, of sorts... There was one man, long time ago…" She swallowed, and the fragile throat moved. It took all the willpower left in him not to bite into the pale skin there. She still was not moving, spread under him. Suddenly she smiled. Her hands cupped his face, little strong fingers scratching his beard. His breathing hitched.

He realized he could not do it. Not with her, not on the table, hastily and roughly. Not this way, as if an animal, as if forcing her, as if conquering her body. He wanted this caress, this warmth in her eyes, her soft red lips to smile, to say his name, to speak of love. He recoiled, his own thoughts terrifying him.

He moved away and slid off the table. He stepped back to the wall, his heart beating painfully, his member still tense in his breeches. He saw confusion on her face, she sat up and the tiny feet dangled off the edge of the table. He closed his eyes. He wanted to kneel in front of her and kiss the delicate calves and knees, a memory of little pink toes flashing in his mind. It was a rainy day, and she was jumping over the puddles, her shoes in her hand...

"I apologize, honourable healer… It was outrageous behaviour… I..." He had no words, he felt dizzy and berated himself for feeling like a brainless village girl in love. She was staring at him attentively, eyes wide open, lips pressed together.

Then she nodded and smiled sadly, "Thank you, my lord, for your mindfulness, I would not have been able to stop." He jerked his head up. That was the first time in his life he was ever praised for being conscious and reasonable, and he gave out an incredulous chuckle.

She was sitting and staring at her knees, her skirt still bunched up around her hips. He stepped forward and gently pulled at the hem. It fell down and covered her knees. He felt his body lament the disappearance of smooth pale skin of her thighs, but he already made his decision. She lifted her eyes at him. They were tender and sad. He cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers.

That was their first genuine kiss, and his head swam. Her lips warm and willing, obviously inexperienced but eager, the smell of those white flowers by the road from her skin and hair, her small hands sliding around his ribs, and then a small moan she emitted made his heart clench. He realized with aching clarity that Mahal was so endlessly cruel to him. She was the One. His first kiss of love broke the barriers he had built around his soul all through the years, the roaring fire flooding his body and mind, crushing his spirit and breaking his heart. She signed into his lips, unaware of the excruciating pain he felt in every muscles of his body, and her knees spread, one leg snaking around his. He pushed her away and stepped back.

"I cannot have you to myself," his breathing was laboured, and he fisted his hands. "Not now, not ever. I am a Dwarf and a King." Her brows flew up. For an instant he thought that she was going to offer him at least one night. And he hastily pondered whether he should agree. To have her for at least one night… And then he internally winced from the thought, surely she should feel how wrong that would be. It was not about coupling like beasts, to satisfy physical hunger, a pain of suspicion gripped his heart. Was he wrong to assume she was the pure and noble maiden he thought she was? "I will leave immediately."

"I will never love another," her voice was so quiet that for a second he thought he misheard. She lifted her eyes, serious and sad, and the long black lashes fluttered. "Forgive me, my lord," she shook her head, "Now I am behaving outrageously," she chuckled mirthlessly, "But I wanted you to know. More for myself than for your sake, I suppose..." Her eyes shifted on the floor again. He stepped forwards and wrapped his arms around her, pressed her small body into his, feeling her heart beating through the two thin tunics. She fit into him perfectly, and he felt like screaming, and raging, and breaking everything around him.

He reigned his rage and spoke softly, reveling in her warmth for the last time, "Neither will I, honourable healer. And Dwarves never break promises such as this one."

He and Fili set on the road the next day before dawn. He did not get to see her in the morning. He only regretted he did not ask for any token. But then he berated himself for stupid sentimentality. Not that he would be able to forget her without one.


	30. Our Future Queen

**A/N: I had the most amazing moment of my life two weekends ago when I was at a wedding and the DJ looked so much like Kili. I was super creepy about it and couldn't keep myself from staring at him the whole night. My husband drew the line at taking a picture of him and strongly encouraged me to have a check in with myself about if my fangirl obsession was reaching unhealthy heights. **

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><p>Kili stood by the river filling his water skin. Balin and Thorin were sitting by the fire smoking pipes, getting ready to travel for the day. Today was the day they would arrive in Bree.<p>

Kili walked back towards the campfire and perched on a rock. He felt agitated and was anxious to be on the move. Thorin seemed unwilling to go, surprising considering this was the day he would be finding his long lost love. Kili glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, feeling slightly irritated with his uncle, mostly without warrant but instead due to Kili's own irritable mood that hung over him like a cloud.

Kili noticed Balin fidget briefly as he glanced at the king as well, clearly waiting for Thorin to declare it was time to depart. Thorin seemed lost in his own thoughts, though, an anxious wrinkle between his brows.

After another moment, Balin cleared his throat. "Thorin," he began, "perhaps you could tell us a wee bit about our future queen." This comment seemed to draw Thorin out of his reverie, although he only stared blankly at Balin as though he didn't comprehend the question. After a brief pause Balin continued. "I only mean that it might be nice to have some warning as what to expect," he encouraged.

Thorin's eyes dropped to his hands, which Kili noticed were uncharacteristically worrying a twig he had picked up somewhere. At first Kili thought Thorin wasn't going to speak and was surprised when Thorin looked up at them, speaking in a quiet anxious voice, sounding lost like a small child. "What if I am wrong? Even if she is unattached, will she be willing to lock herself up in the stone walls, without sunlight and her herbs, and give up her life and live according to the Dwarven traditions? It is not an easy life for a Queen..." Balin looked at his friend for a moment before placing his hand on his shoulder and squeezing it sympathetically.

Kili rolled his eyes, muttering, "Most likely she will run away from you in the middle of the night without such as a note." Balin sighed as he stared at Kili. Kili closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Balin closed his own eyes briefly as though asking Mahal for patience before shaking his head at Kili across the fire, silently urging him to speak no more.

Balin turned to Thorin and prompted him again. "You were saying, Thorin?"

Thorin hadn't seemed to notice the exchange between Kili and Balin and had lapsed back into silence, staring off into the distance. He suddenly shifted his eyes to Balin.

"She is like no one I've ever met before. She's intelligent, and she seems cool and distant on the surface, but when you look in her eyes, which are the most unusual colour I've ever seen, you see that there is gentleness there. She's very small for a human, but she has remarkably strong hands."

Thorin chuckled at some memory he didn't share with them. "She bossed around all of these men in the infirmary as though she owned the place, this scrap of a girl. She can be quite bossy, actually, and you don't want to make her angry. You'll regret it if you do. It's better to just do what she says because you'll end up doing so in the end anyway." Thorin chuckled, his face beginning to relax.

Kili felt red hot rage boil up inside of himself. He was furious. He was furious with Thorin for making him come on this journey to find a woman the fool hadn't seen in over seven years and had barely known to begin with, but he was mostly furious that Thorin was in love and was so hopeful and excited about seeing this woman, despite the anxiety that seemed to take him from time to time. Kili was angry and wanted to spite anyone who dared to be happy in love when his own love had abandoned him. He couldn't stop his rage from boiling over as he heard Thorin's words.

"You're a fool," he spat at his uncle. Both of the older dwarves looked at Kili in astonishment. "You're a fool to think she's still there, waiting for you. She probably moved onto the next available man as soon as you left, mocking you for being unable to get the deed done. She probably fucked some other man the moment you were out the door, laughing at the dwarf who declared his love for her when she didn't even know your name. By now she's probably working as a whore in some brothel, mother to half a dozen children she's sent off to other families because a woman so willing to bed someone she barely knows is clearly unfit to be a mother or wife to anyone, let alone a queen."

Kili found himself pressed up against a tree, Thorin's hand painfully tight around his neck. Kili didn't struggle but stared at Thorin in shock. Thorin had never raised a hand to him in his life, however much he may have deserved it at times. It was rare for Thorin to lose control, and Kili had only seen it a few times. Whenever Thorin did threaten violence, it was always when someone he loved was threatened, and once towards Bilbo when he'd found out that the hobbit had given the Arkenstone to Bard.

For a moment, the urge to continue to snarl insults at his uncle overtook Kili. A self-destructive part of him that seemed to grow stronger each day was deeply tempted to see how much Thorin could take before he snapped on Kili and caused him bodily harm.

Kili would have welcomed the physical pain such an altercation would have brought, a break from the emotional agony that consumed him and an opportunity to work off his constant state of agitation. But even through the fog of his own misery Kili was able to see in Thorin's eyes that some of the words Kili had said were fears that Thorin had been grappling with himself. Kili felt guilty once he saw that he'd indeed caused his uncle pain.

They stood locked together for a moment before Thorin hissed, "Don't spread your hatred and venom just because your own heart has been broken." Kili had remained silent until Thorin released him.

"Forgive me, uncle," Kili said in a low voice. Thorin eyed him coldly before nodding curtly and turning to prepare to mount his pony.

When they arrived at Bree later that day, they proceeded directly to the infirmary. Thorin stopped outside of the door, his hand frozen in midair as he had been reaching to pull the handle of the door. He seemed paralyzed. Kili glanced at Balin, but the older dwarf seemed to have schooled his features into an expression of detached calm.

Kili glanced at his uncle again and followed Balin's lead, remaining silent as he shifted slightly on his feet, waiting for his uncle to move. He saw the muscles in Thorin's jaw tense as Thorin clenched his hand tightly in a fist for a moment before releasing it and grasping the door handle, wrenching the door open and moving through it as quickly as his injured leg allowed.

Kili and Balin followed him into the infirmary, keeping a distance as Thorin turned towards a long open well lit room. Thorin moved through the doorway to the room and stopped just over the threshold. Kili followed Thorin's gaze, which seemed to be fixed on a small figure at the end of the room.

Kili glanced around the room finding it empty of all healers except for the small figure. He realized Thorin must have had another lapse of anxiety brought on by not finding the woman he sought in this room. Wishing to be helpful, Kili took breath to encourage Thorin to ask the small person he was staring at if she possibly knew where he could find the woman they sought, when the sun from a nearby window caught the figure, illuminating her copper hair that was wrapped tightly around her head in a braid, small stubborn curls escaping and clinging to her thin neck.

Kili froze in shock as he remembered Fili's words. "Not the skinny redhead?" Fili had asked before Thorin had snapped at him.

Kili realized he was indeed looking at a person of that exact description. The figure was quite small, easily described as skinny, and her hair was as orange as the setting sun. Kili watched as she helped a patient, her movements determined and purposeful, as she instructed the patient in a bossy tone to drink his tonic. She was wearing a horribly unattractive green tunic the colour of swamp water over which was tied an apron covered in something disgusting, which Kili was sure he didn't want to know the origin of.

Kili stared at her in astonishment. This could not be the person they were here to see. It wasn't possible that this slip of a girl was the person Thorin had fallen in love with. She seemed so odd, so frail. In the name of Mahal, she looked as though she'd break upon being touched, let alone being bedded by a dwarf.

The woman turned away from the patient, apparently not having seen them yet, and quickly removed the disgusting apron and disposed of it in a nearby basket clearly intended for this purpose. Picking up a crate of vials, she turned towards the doorway and raised her head to glance down the row of beds, freezing as she finally caught sight of them, her eyes suddenly locked on Thorin's face.

Kili stood, waiting for someone to move or speak, and felt himself grow impatient as the silence stretched. He exhaled in relief as the woman cleared her throat but felt frustrated as she only carefully set the vials down again, her thin shoulders rising as she appeared to take a deep breath. He noticed a slight tremor to her hands as she then smoothed her dress. She raised her head again, holding her chin at a proud angle and squaring her shoulders as though attempting to compose herself, her expression unreadable.

Then suddenly she began to move quickly towards them, at first walking and then beginning to run, her red mouth stretched wide in a grin. Thorin began to move towards her, slowly as he limped, before her body crashed into his, a loud thump resounding in the long room.

The woman began to laugh as she threw her arms around Thorin's neck, and Kili watched Thorin wrap his arms tightly around her waist and lift her small feet off the ground as he held her to him, his own deep laugh rising from his chest as he buried his face in her neck. "You came back!" she exclaimed. "After all these years, you came back!"

Thorin only appeared to hold her more tightly, and after a moment she pulled away from him, gasping for breath. If Kili had thought he couldn't be any more astonished, he was proven wrong when Thorin brought his hands to the woman's face, cupping her delicate jaw in his large palms and looking deeply into her eyes in earnest. "Honourable healer," he said. "I have come to take you to Erebor."

She laughed, her slanted eyes crinkling with mirth. "Well, my lord, I have to change. I can't go in healers' robes." It was as though they were continuing a conversation they'd had only that morning over tea rather than reuniting for the first time in almost a decade. Her voice was strong and confident with a sarcastic lilt to it that made Kili raise his eyebrows, if he could possibly raise them any further.

Thorin laughed with her as she brought her hands to his cheeks, stroking them affectionately. As though she was unable to stop herself, her nails dug under the whiskers there as she began to scratch as his beard. A deep rumbling noise escaped Thorin's chest, his face breaking with a wide cat like grin, and Kili shook his head, feeling almost embarrassed for his uncle at the undignified behaviour.

The healer pressed her body into his as though she was moving into to kiss him when she suddenly pulled away. Thorin's brow drew together in concern at the sudden distance, reaching for her as she cleared her throat and nodded pointedly towards Balin.

Thorin glanced around in confusion, clearly having forgotten the presence of his companions. For a moment, he glared at Kili as though Kili had intentionally interrupted his reunion with healer. Kili couldn't help but glare back at his uncle in irritation, wishing to remind his uncle that he had not volunteered to come along on this journey. He bit his tongue, however, as his uncle spoke.

"May I present to you, Wren, your future queen." Wren's eyes widened at his words, and Kili wondered why she suddenly looked at Thorin in shock, her head snapping to Thorin so quickly that the copper curls that had escaped the tight braid bounced against her neck. Kili bit back a laugh as he wondered if maybe his uncle had gotten her name wrong. It had been seven years after all.

"Queen?" she asked in surprise.

"But of course," Thorin dismissed. "You are going to marry me." She stared at him momentarily in shocked silence before composing herself.

Balin moved first, clearly unable to contain his delight. Kili wondered what Balin had to be so happy about, but Balin seemed completely taken with the woman before them. "Balin, at your service," he said, grinning as he bowed deeply, his arms spread wide in welcome. The healer smiled at him graciously, and Kili didn't fail to note the slight bow of her head as though she was queen already.

Gritting his teeth, Kili stepped forward after Balin retreated. "And Kili, at your service," he said, unable to keep the cold tone out of his voice. The woman's smile faltered slightly as her gaze settled upon him. Kili held her gaze briefly before looking away, angry as he felt her strange eyes bore into his. He saw something he didn't like in her eyes as she gazed at him, as though she could read his thoughts and see into his heart. Even though he had only just met her, he felt an intense dislike towards her immediately upon the introduction.

The moment was broken as Thorin reached for her, his patience stretched to the limit, while she laughed as he began to steer her towards a nearby door leading to a small closet. Thorin wrenched the door open as he spoke to them. "Go to the inn. I'll join you there later." He backed the healer into the closet, slamming the door shut behind them.

Kili and Balin stood staring at the door and then each other in astonishment before Balin smiled at Kili, gesturing for him to follow Balin out of the room. "Come, Kili, let us find some food," he said. "You've done naught but drink ale since we departed Erebor, and I'm sure to see you eat a proper meal before the day is out."

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><p><strong>AN: The next chapter is just about ready to go and should be up in a couple days. **


	31. The Closet - by kkolmakov

**A/N: Thank you everyone for your support and comments about the collaboration. Here is the next chapter, which is also available under _Thorin's Queen_ posted by kkolmakov. Also, I'm deeply honoured to announce that Nimiria, whose stories I also love, has offered to translate _What the Future Brings_ into French! It should be available in a month or so. She does the most lovely work, which can be found here: u/5522716/Nimiria  
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**_Written by kkolmakov…_**

Thorin pushed her into the closet and forcefully pulled the door closed behind him. There was enough room in it, and she stepped back, away from him. He let her, suddenly worried that she was overwhelmed. But her face was calm, elated, the slanted eyes he remembered so well were bright and smiling. She was surveying his face, then her stare slid on his shoulders and roamed all his body.

"Honourable healer..." His voice sounded suddenly uncertain even to him.

"Wren," she met his eyes again and smiled, "You should call me Wren." He smiled back, but then immediately frowned. He suddenly felt hurried, he needed her to understand, to know his thoughts and his feelings.

"I wish to marry you and make you my Queen. The Queen... Erebor is ours again..." He felt panicked. He realised he was mumbling. That was not how one proposed marriage. She had known him for two moons seven years ago, his mind was railing. He needed to be eloquent, convince her, charm her. He almost glared at her face trying to perceive her mind. One fevered thought was thrashing in his mind. What if she was married to some lousy baker or a cobbler? Damn Kili for planting this idea in his head. Not that he had not thought of it again and again himself. What if there were children? He felt even more of an imbecile catching himself staring at her stomach. What was he trying to see there?

She had run to him. She had almost kissed him. He immediately remembered her small strong hands pressed to his cheeks, and to his own surprise he felt his head swim. Surely she sensed it too. Certainty. The undoubtable definiteness. She belonged to him. And he to her. For the first time he felt no fear at a thought of something constricting him. It was an ultimate set of restraints, to love and to be loved, but he welcomed it.

He stared at her waiting for an answer. She seemed preoccupied with studying his attire. Her brows were hiked, her expression cheerful and curious.

"Honourable... Wren..." She tore her eyes from his buckle and looked at him. "Will you be my wife?" He was shocked by the ease with which the words slipped off his lips.

She grinned widely and stepped closer. "Of course I will," her tone was almost comforting. This is how one talks to a fretting child. She stretched her hand and tentatively touched the fur collar of his coat with the tips of her fingers.

Suddenly he laughed loudly. He felt vulnerable, helpless in front of her, hers to do whatever she felt like, break him, destroy and crush him at her whim, and she seemed shy even to touch him. And then he laughed again. Why was he not scared? He was defenceless in the hands of a small woman he knew so little about. Why would he feel exuberant and safe?

She smiled again joining his elation. He realized she was still standing too far, and he wrapped his arms around her waist decisively. She gasped, and the eyes flew wide. Her hands lay on his shoulders. He froze, he needed her to reciprocate. She had touched his face there, outside the closet, in front of everyone. Her cool strong fingers had cupped his face, and he did not know how to ask her to do it again. He exhaled and looked at the face that was finally so close to his.

Somehow the freckled nose caught his attention, and now he could not stop staring. The bright orange freckles peppering her pale skin were the most astonishing picture he had ever seen in his life.

And then she blushed. Right in front of his eyes soft pink flooded her porcelain skin, the cheekbones obviously burning up, and he saw the fluffy lashes flutter. She was so beautiful for him at that moment that he felt embarrassed. He was not forty, he was experienced, he knew women, he knew... What did he know? His head felt empty, he was suddenly hot under his collar, and his own hands on her tiny waist seemed heavy and clumsy.

And then her eyes grew suddenly impish. "Are you doubting your choice already, my lord?"

"What?! No," his voice broke, and he felt peevish. Just to prove her and even more so himself that he was no awkward youngling he pulled her to himself tighter, one of his hand sliding on her shoulder blades.

It made it worse. They were delicate, her back under the rough fabric warm and narrow, and the tips of his fingers brushed her soft skin above the collar of her robe. He gulped.

Suddenly she pushed her nose into his neck and sighed a long deep exhale. "You are here," her voice was soft, and her hands slid under his hair, onto the back of his neck. All of his rigidness and discomfort suddenly gone, he pressed his lips to her temple.

"I am here," there was something final and heart warming in this silly exchange, and he chuckled. And then she slightly moved away, and their eyes met.

The kiss was the perfection of equilibrium. They leaned in simultaneously, their breaths mixing an instant before they felt the touch, and then the taste, both of them closing their eyes, she inhaled in pleasure, he exhaled, and then their world tilted, he pressed on, she clenched her fists with handfuls of his strands, passion rising, flooding them, tenderness stepping back for some time, but never leaving them again. He felt the fabric of the robe grasped in his palm, she moaned into his mouth, and the soft tip of her tongue brushed his lips.

He felt her fingers finally cup his face, the digits curled, and she gently scraped his beard. Then her hands slid on his ears, stroked them, her thumbs ran along his cheekbones. His palm at the back of her neck, he seemed to be learning her, hearing her, her body, her breathing, her pulse evenly beating on the side of her throat.

They pressed their foreheads, catching their breath. He felt some giddy, strange tenderness and kissed the tip of her nose. She giggled and wrinkled it. And then she pounced ahead, pressing her mouth to his again, but this time hotly and greedily, taking him completely by surprise.

Passion erupted in him, his large palms groping her body, slender shoulders and tiny waist, grazed her ribs, and he pushed his fingers into her curls quickly escaping a braid. He tried to take control over the kiss, his hand sliding under her ear, his thumb pressed on her jawline, but she did not let him, attacking him with all possible fervour, clawing at him, moaning into his mouth. She was heating up in his hands, and it was as frightening as the dragon's fire. He felt her white even teeth dip into his bottom lip, and he growled, stepping ahead, pressing her into the wall. She moaned and arched into him. And just like seven years ago he felt her leg wrap around his.

His palms jumped onto her shoulders, and he placed some distance between their bodies. The look on her face almost made him lunge at her again. Eyes shining, feverish, copper hair in a halo around her burning face, lips red and swollen, the dazed look in her unfocused eyes and the knowledge that he put her into this state made him quickly consider how much noise would penetrate the flimsy walls of the closet if he took her right now against this wall. And then he clenched his teeth and renew his determination.

"Wren..." She blinked, and some sanity seemed to return into her amber eyes. She shook her head, and even brighter blush coloured her cheeks.

"I am sorry... That was so inappropriate... I do not know..." She pressed her narrow palms to her face. "I have dreamt of you so much, and I just..." She stumbled over her words, and then in a new gesture that made his heart clench she stepped forward and hid her face in his chest. "Forgive me, my lord… I have never in my life behaved so unseemly..."

Ridiculous elation filled his heart. "Do I gather you have been unattached through these seven years, my lady?" She snorted into his coat. And then she peeked at him with a hesitant flirtiness.

"Do I appear that starved, my lord? I have been unattached. I was waiting for you." Her arms gently wrapped around his waist, and then she giggled. "You are so very wide." His brows jumped up. She hid again and mumbled, "I always prattle when I am nervous..."

He embraced her in return and pressed his cheek to the the top of her head. "I welcome your fervour, my lady, but we will wait till the wedding night." She jumped away from him and stared at him with wide open eyes. He chuckled. He might have been wrong but he seemed to have caught a glimpse of disappointment in her eyes.

"I have a trunk packed," she suddenly laughed, and he joined her, not understanding but enjoying her sudden sunny smile. "I have been packing it for seven years, like a dimwit… I certainly have not thought I would need it." And then her face dropped, and she pressed her palm to her forehead. "Maiar, it is happening..." She grew suddenly pale, and he grasped her shoulder worried she would faint. She smiled to him weakly, and then she firmly pressed her palms to his face and peered into his eyes. "Are you playing with me, Thorin Oakenshield?" That was an interesting tone, he noticed with pleasure, assertive and decisive. He momentarily thanked Mahal again. That was the Queen worthy of Erebor. Or perhaps, Erebor was only just worthy of the woman standing in front of him, her face stern and proud.

He smiled into her burning, menacing eyes, and shook his head. "I am offering you my heart and my Kingdom, honourable healer. Will you accept?"

She surveyed his face for a few more instants and then solemnly nodded. "I will come to your inn in the morning with my trunk. Do I understand it correct that we are leaving first thing in the morning?" He nodded and smiled again.

They moved to each other, mouths meeting, arms caressing, and he doubted the soundness of his decision to wait till the wedding night. He felt the need to do it right. For once it was not about the carnal hunger. But her small strong hands, the way her body seemed to respond to the littlest of his movements, the intoxicating taste of her lips, the light floral smell of her skin and hair…

He pushed her away and decisively jerked the door open. "I will see you in the morning in the Prancing Pony, my lady." He leaned in quickly and pressed the last kiss in the corner of her lips.

He rushed out of the infirmary and gulped his lungs full of the crisp air of Bree. And then a nonsensical thought came to go back and enjoy his happiness just for a little more. He shook his head. He was no dimwit youngling in love.

He made the first heavy steps towards the road and chuckled. He realised he had forgotten about the limp. And then the doors behind him burst open, he swirled on the spot, and all he managed to see was a swoosh of her bright orange mop of hair. Her body slammed into him. Her arms thrown around his neck, she pressed her face to his neck, "I am so happy, I am so happy... You came!" He guffawed.

"I did."

"Maiar, you did." She happily looked into his eyes and laughed. She pecked his lips, let him go and ran back into the infirmary.

Thorin Oakenshield stood in the middle of the busy street in Bree, and his heart was beating painfully. He guessed the muscle had never been used to working so much in a course of one day. And then he took control over his emotions and started walking towards the Prancing Pony.


	32. Chance Encounters

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews/follows/faves everyone. This chapter was writing by RagdollPrincess. Finally we get some Reese time. Reminder that I own nothing except the Futurians.**

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><p>Reese stood at the bar of the Prancing Pony drumming her fingers on the bar impatiently. She was trying to have a discussion with the owner about moving to a different room. Hers was at the top of the staircase that led from the bar, and she found with her pregnancy that she was nauseated by the smoke scent drifting up into her room. She had finally found something that made her feel sick in this pregnancy.<p>

She was alone at the inn. Adam and Borgia had travelled onto the shire, intending to return to Bree in a week, before they embarked on the journal back to Adelaide that would take at least two weeks. Reese had decided to remain at the inn, finding herself too exhausted to do so much travelling.

Reese glanced around the room, pulling her long hooded fur winter coat around her as she felt a chill settle, feeling uncharacteristic irritation with the bartender who was clearly overworked as it was, when she heard a voice behind her that stilled her heart.

"Excuse me, laddie," said a polite and cheerful older male voice, "but could I bother you for three rooms."

Reese was grateful the hood of her jacket was up, and she instinctively reached up in a panic to pull it as far forward over her face as possible so as not to be seen by the speaker. She glanced around for the best escape route from the room. If the voice belonged to who she thought it did, she needed to get out if there immediately. She had never been so grateful for the long winter coat that covered her standard traveling clothes, which surely would have given her away.

Turning slightly away from the speaker towards the stairs Reese moved to leave when she heard a voice she would have recognized anywhere. "I'll find a table," Kili muttered, barely a foot away from her. She heard his steps moving away.

Reese brought her hand to her mouth quickly to stifle a gasp. She stood rooted to the spot, unsure what to do. She felt suddenly lightheaded and decided fainting was the least helpful option. She slowly moved to a nearby table and sat with her back to the room, making sure to keep her head covered with her hood, which drooped in front of her face not allowing anyone to recognize her.

She rested her head in her hands took several deep breaths, feeling torn in several directions. After a moment, she glanced over her shoulder carefully, scanning the room for the dwarves, wondering what on earth they were doing in Bree. She didn't have to look far. They were seated four tables away from her. She realized she was sitting close to the wall, half tucked behind a partition that gave her a great deal of cover. The stairs were only a dew steps away from her and she could easily escape to her room. She appeared to have gone unrecognized. It was late in the day and the room was darkening with the outside sky as the bar was hazy with smoke from the patrons that had begun to flood in at the end of the day. The noise in the room grew as the bar began to fill.

Reese made a quick decision as she grabbed a passing waitress. She wanted to avoid looking conspicuous and quickly ordered ale and bread to have before her at her table. She then stood and moved to a different chair that a was partially obscured by the partition. She was still able to see the dwarves with her hood pulled close over her face, but it would be difficult to see her.

Reese picked up her bread and began to pull it into chunks as she observed Kili from across the room. She hadn't seen him in four months, and he looked terrible. He'd lost weight. His clothes seemed baggy on him, and his cheeks were hollow below his high cheekbones. He was horribly pale, and his skin had a waxy sheen to it. He also had dark circles under his eyes, which she could see even from several feet away. Reese drew back as he glanced around the room, his eyes not even noticing her small hooded form briefly before continuing on. His eyes were bright in an unhealthy way, as though feverish.

He seemed to be in a terrible humour and was drinking very quickly. He'd already finished one ale and was gesturing for another. They'd been brought food, which Kili had pushed away. From where Reese sat, Balin seemed to be trying to encourage him to eat, frequently pushing food back towards Kili, who only dismissed it as he drank.

Reese grew alarmed as she watched Kili consume ale. He was drinking much more than she'd ever seen him consume at Adelaide, distracted and distant as Balin talked to him. He loved ale, and he and Fili loved to get drunk together. It seemed to be a dwarf custom to drink ale quickly. But this was different, almost frantic, as though the ale was water that he'd been without for several days. And she'd never seen him so distant from someone he was talking to. He was always so interested in the people around him, always laughing and enjoying conversation, joining in eagerly.

Reese spent the better part of two hours watching Kili, trying to convince herself to leave. She grew more alarmed as she watched Kili consume more and more liquor. Balin had ceased to attempt to make the prince eat , and the two had lapsed into silence as they stared in opposite directions, clearly lost in thought. She nearly fainted when Kili and Balin were joined by Thorin. She turned her head away to hide her face so quickly she was sure to have whiplash. For the life of her she couldn't figure out what on earth Thorin was doing so far from Erebor just a few months after reclaiming the mountain. Surely there was nothing more important for him to attend to. She peaked back at Thorin before looking away again quickly and noted he looked extremely happy, happier than she had ever seen him, which was a stark contrast his nephew's dark and pained expression, leaving Reese feeling even more confused. It was as though the heirs of Durin had reversed their personalities. She wondered if Fili was going to show up next behaving recklessly and being a jerk to everyone around him.

Her attention was drawn back to the table abruptly as she heard a loud scraping of chairs. Her eyes widened in alarm as she saw Kili and Thorin standing, fists clenched, glaring at each other murderously. She had truly never seen such an expression on either of their faces, particularly as Thorin looked deeply hurt, possibly by something Kili had said. Thorin had never allowed himself to show such vulnerability in the eight years she'd known him. She noticed that Balin was no longer sitting at the table and wondered if he'd gone to the loo, hoping he would return quickly to prevent these two from murdering each other, which they were clearly in danger of doing.

They'd drawn the attention of all of the tables around them as silence began to descend on the room, although Kili seemed not to care, possibly because he was too drunk. Their voices began to rise as they argued, and due to the silence Reese distinctly heard Kili spit "fool" and "whore" at Thorin.

This appeared to be the last straw as Thorin grabbed Kili's tunic harshly. Several people around them gasped, and for a moment Reese thought Thorin was going to hit Kili, which Kili seemed almost to be hoping for. After a moment, Kili laughed coldly and reaching up jerked his tunic out of Thorin's hands before throwing his nearly empty mug onto the table, spilling ale over the wooden surface. Kili walked clumsily towards the stairs, clearly extremely drunk, and even crashed slightly into Reese's table without looking at her on his way by.

Reese cowered, hiding behind the partition and pulling her hood close around her face. As Kili passed she caught the bitter scent of a person who had drunk an excessive amount of alcohol for a long time. She felt panic as she wondered at the broken state she'd found the father of her unborn child in. Something truly horrible must have happened for him to be so depraved and sick.

Reese glanced at Thorin's table, seeing he sat alone, seemingly unaware of the puddle of ale on his table. Balin had not yet returned from the toilet, and the patrons surrounding the dwarf had returned to their own conversation. The noise in the room quickly returned to normal.

Reese rose suddenly and ,throwing money on her table, turned to ascend the stairs. Once on the second floor, she glanced down the row of doors opening to rooms and saw one stood ajar at the far end of the hall, an unusual sight at any inn and a sign of carelessness or danger. Glancing behind her to make sure no one was around, she moved carefully down the hallway towards the open door.

Reese's heart thundered as she paused outside the door. She peaked in and saw the room was entirely in darkness except for the dim light thrown from the candles lining the hallway. It was clearly occupied, however, as loud snores were emitted from an unseen person in the darkness. She would have recognized those snores anywhere. Reaching for one of the candles that stood in its holder on a plate nailed into the wall, Reese slowly held the light high before her to cast a flickering light over the room.

The light fell on the body of what could only be a dwarf, face down on the bed, still in his tunic, coat, and boots, that pooled around his emaciated body, snoring heavily, his face covered with dark dirty hair. He was clearly too intoxicated to even shut the door behind him as he stumbled to his room. For a moment she wondered if this indeed was his room considering he and Balin appeared to be seeking lodgings when they'd arrived at the inn. Reese prepared herself for the possibility that another patron may arrive at any moment wondering why a human and dwarf were in their chambers. Kili must have had a key to get into the room, but Reese then wondered at how he would have managed to operate it in his state.

Seeing Kili in this vulnerable state was alarming. Reese moved slowly towards the him and, placing the candle on a stool, sank to her knees beside the bed. She swallowed carefully before reaching to gently sweep his dark hair from his face, noticing how dirty it felt to her touch. He smelled even worse when she was closer to him, and she recognized the unmistakable scent of a person whose body had been nearly pickled in liquor, almost as though the stale poison was seeping out of his pores. He didn't even stir at her touch. He'd always been a deep sleeper, although considering the dark circles under his eyes she expected this was no longer the case and that this sleep was a coma brought on by alcohol.

His face looked even more haggard in the flickering light, his cheeks even more drawn. His eyebrows were drawn together as though in pain. This was also uncharacteristic of him. In the hours she'd spent hovering over him as he'd slept, Kili had always looked relaxed and at peace, almost smiling gently. Instead his mouth was drawn slightly down and his lips were pursed together tightly.

Reese drew back when Kili's breathing suddenly became rapid as though he was suddenly extremely anxious. Realizing he was still asleep, she knelt beside him again, her eyes finally pricking with tears as he began to whimper. He sounded terrified as though he was having a horrible dream that he couldn't escape from. Based on the look of him, he actually appeared to be living through something truly terrifying.

She carefully reached out again and experimentally stroked his hair lovingly, relieved that he didn't stir. "Shhhh, my darling, my love. You're safe. It's okay." She stroked his hair lovingly, longingly, sending a silent prayer to whoever that she would be forgiven for touching Kili's hair without his permission in hopes that it might bring him temporary peace. Slowly his whimpering stopped and his breath returned to the deep snores that meant he was sleeping deeply.

She knew what this was that she saw before her. She'd seen it before in people who had survived horrible traumas. She knew even more exactly how it felt. She'd herself spent years in this state when she'd arrived in Middle Earth. "What happened to you, my darling?" she whispered. "What horrible things have happened to you to make you this way? I never thought I would see you like this." Her voice broke as she spoke these last words. "I always worried it would happen, but you were also so free, so confident, so whole. I never thought that it would be possible for life to do something like this to you. I wish I could take it all away, whatever it was that did this to you."

Her thoughts strayed back to the conversation with the dwarf in the caravan who had told Adam about the Battle of the Five Armies. He of course had only spoken of the glorious victory, but anyone who knew anything about combat knew of the horrors that would be witnessed in battle.

Kili had never been in battle, even though he was a highly trained warrior. Was what she saw here the result of his seeing the devastation of death that occurred on the battle field? She recalled that the loss to the dwarves had been heavy. He would surely have seen several deaths and gruesome scenes and would have been powerless to help as he likely fought for his own life. He'd been badly injured himself as she recalled as her eyes traveled down his back to his ribs, imagining what his flawless skin now looked like, marred with scars from being pierced by arrows. Was this what plagued his mind now to the point that he clearly was unable to sleep without being nearly comatose from alcohol?

Reese stiffened as a voice spoke behind her. "Good evening, lass." Her heart hammered in her head as she cursed under her breath.


	33. Let's Make One Thing Clear

**A/N: The response to the last chapter was overwhelming! Thank you for everyone's reviews. I'm going to respond to each one individually, and here I will say thank you to those given by guests who I can't respond to directly. ****If anyone is looking for musical parallels for this chapter, watch the Youtube of Peter, Paul and Mary's "For Lovin' Me" and "Don't Think Twice." These are two of my most favourite songs ever, and although I didn't in any way intentionally write the story to fit the messages of these songs, it's probably not a coincidence that they fit.**

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><p><em>Reese stiffened as a voice spoke behind her. "Good evening, lass." Her heart hammered in her head as she cursed under her breath.<em>

Balin had clearly not gone to the toilet at all. Reese hadn't scanned the room as she'd entered it, her attention entirely focused on Kili, leaving her vulnerable to whoever might be occupying the remainder of the room.

Rising slowly to her feet, Reese turned to see the old dwarf leaning sitting in a chair, the flickering light from the single candle not sufficient enough to read his face.

"Good evening, Master Balin," she said calmly, despite her heart hammering in alarm at being caught by the older dwarf. This was not a position she wanted to be in at this moment. "Have you been waiting for me?" Whenever in situations like these, she always lapsed into a lazy banter, despite how panicked she may be.

"Aye, I have," he answered, his face still unreadable. They looked at each other for a moment before she spoke again.

"Well, my dear Balin, might I presume that we shall be joined by your monarch shortly?"

"You may," said a deep voice behind her. Reese winced. She was clearly not herself having left herself vulnerable again with her back to the open door. Dwarves never moved quietly, or breathed quietly for that matter, but her focus on Kili, as well as his loud snores that still permeated the room, had clearly prevented her from detecting any signs of Balin's presence in the room or Thorin's approach from behind.

Reese gasped as Thorin harshly grabbed the back of her coat, all but dragging her into a room across the hall, followed by Balin who gently pulled the Kili's door shut behind him, deftly pocketing the key in his coat, before joining them. Having not seen anyone in the hall before the door was shut behind her, she considered screaming but knew it was unlikely that she was in any true danger from the dwarves. She stumbled as Thorin harshly shoved her into the room before he grabbed her arm tightly, making her hiss in pain. He spun her towards him, and she was pierced by the ice blue gaze that he glared at her with.

"Oh for Christ's sakes, Thorin, stop with all the drama, please," she snarled. "There's no reason to toss me around like this." She yanked her arm out of his vice like grip and rubbed it as she moved away from him, walking to stand by the window in case she needed to escape quickly. She would only choose this as a last resort as she knew it was likely she'd have a miscarriage if she jumped out of a second story window.

"What are you doing here, Reese?" Thorin asked in a calm lethal voice.

She looked at her old friend, her demeanor equally calm and cold as she leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. "It's an accident that I'm here while you are, let me assure you," she began. "I'm here for work, of course, and had no reason to expect to run into you. What are you doing here? Don't you have a kingdom to run?"

He ignored her question. "And what were you doing in Kili's room, Reese? As far as I understand, that's a privilege that is no longer yours, unless of course you're whoring yourself now?"

Reese snorted at his words. "Don't you have any more creative insult than to refer to me as a whore?" she laughed coldly. "If I recall, you said the same thing to me the first time we met."

"Oh, believe me, I have a wide range of insults available to me as needed, and I take great pleasure in choosing the one most fitting to the situation," Thorin said, crossing his arms and coldly staring at her.

Despite her outward bravado, Reese felt sad at his words. She wondered if this was what the company thought of her after her behaviour towards Kili. Despite the promiscuity of dwarves, she knew her behaviour would be seen as deplorable.

She glanced away before murmuring. "It wasn't as though I didn't warn you, Thorin. I told you that I didn't want to get involved with him, that I would only end up hurting him. But you wouldn't listen to me, and now look what happened. If you'd left well enough alone, you could have protected your nephew from that pain, and me as well. I think I have more than a fair right to be pissed with you for forcing me into that situation." Reese was angry now, the pain and guilt of the past months boiling up from inside of her.

"Did I not warn you?" she continued. "Did I not warn you that Kili was pure and vulnerable and that someone like me would crucify him? Would break him? And now look at him! He's a wreck!"

Thorin snorted. "Don't flatter yourself, Reese, that he's the way he is because of you. The boy can withstand a little heartbreak."

Reese couldn't stop herself from striding across the room towards him. She was only a few inches shorter than he was and took satisfaction in not having to look up too much as she hissed at him. "Thorin, you pompous fuck! Don't you dare imply for a moment that I would find it flattering to be the cause of someone's being on a self-destructive path like that which I've just witnessed. And trust me, I hold you completely responsible for what I've just seen. What happened to him? How did you fail in protecting him? I warned you that he wasn't like us, that he was pure and vulnerable, and that the quest would harm him. Weren't you supposed to protect him, to keep him safe? You fucking failed as much as I did here, and don't think for a second that it doesn't break my heart into a million pieces to see him in this state. He looks like he hasn't eaten in weeks. And then I see you fighting with him in the bar, snarling at him, instead of trying to help him, instead of taking care of him as you should be. I don't know what it is that made him like this, but I know it must have been something much more horrible than being dumped by a selfish bitch who didn't know what was good for her. What did you do to him, Thorin? And why aren't you fixing it?" She realized she was yelling now. She was even more furious at the smugly calm look on his face while she spoke.

"It's none of your business, and don't presume for a second that I don't care, Reese. But as far as I understand, this isn't your problem anymore." His voice was cold and flat. "And you should keep it that way. I want you to stay the hell away from him." She winced at his use of the Futurian curse as he spoke to her. "We're leaving in the morning. Until that time, you will go to your room, remain there, and not go anywhere near him again. Do I make myself clear?"

Reese stood before him, staring at her old friend, and felt horribly sad. She knew she had no need to explain her actions in abandoning Kili. If anyone understood, it would be Thorin. He was one of three people in Middle Earth who knew her best. But his loyalty was in the right place, and she would never have forgiven him if he hadn't been furious with her for her treatment of his nephew. She didn't deserve her friends' loyalty, as understandable as her actions towards his kin may have been.

She nodded once and moved past him towards the door. She glanced briefly at Balin as she reached for the handle, pausing as Thorin spoke again. "And Reese, you're right," he said in a low cold voice. "I was wrong to push you towards him. I never thought you would actually be capable of hurting him the way you did. I was a fool for thinking that there was a part of you, somewhere deep inside. that hadn't been poisoned by your past and would allow you to love him and treat him with respect and dignity. I thought there was a part of you that would allow yourself to see what a joyful future you could have with him. You could have had a family again, Reese. You could have been loved. I made a mistake in not seeing how selfish you are and how incapable you are of thinking of anyone except for yourself. And for that reason, I beg of you, stay away from my nephew, who I love more than life itself, and do not speak to him, ever again. After tomorrow, he will be far away from you again. If there is a part of you that is able to think of anyone other than yourself, I'm appealing to that part of you now. Please, let him heal, for once. Stay far away from him and let him begin to rebuild himself from the desolation that his life has become. Being around you will only make him worse, will only add poison and rot to his existence."

A lump rose in Reese' throat as Thorin spoke. She stared blankly at the door, fighting back tears. He wasn't saying anything to her that she hadn't said to herself, but the words hurt so much more coming from him. No one had spoken this way to her, not even Adam when he'd seen her once she'd returned to Adelaide. But Thorin had good reason to speak truthfully to her on this occasion.

She glanced at Balin and saw that he was looking at her with a deeply saddened expression on his kind face. Reese held his gaze as she addressed to him. "Please," she begged, "please help him, or get him some help of some kind. He can't continue this way." She heard the pleading tone as her voice wavered. Balin nodded, as he smiled sadly at her.

Reese turned towards the door again and exited into the hallway, leaving the door open behind her. She stood staring at the door to Kili's room. She could hear his loud snores through the door. At least he hasn't asphyxiated on his own vomit, yet, although he seemed well on his way if this continued. Her hand strayed to her still flat stomach briefly but she caught herself lest Thorin or Balin saw her. She looked back at Thorin for a moment and saw he had turned towards her and was now watching her coldly.

"Will nothing change your mind, Thorin?" she asked. The ice had suddenly left her voice, and she almost sounded pleading.

He surveyed her coldly. "Nothing, Reese. You'll never be good enough for him. He has lost a great deal and has a great deal of healing to do. You can't help him. It's not something you'll ever be capable of. I see that now. You'd only make it worse."

She considered him for a moment. "I hope you're right," she said. "I hope you're right that keeping someone away who loves him will help him get better. You better hope you're right too. But you better make sure you're doing everything you can to help him because he's going to end up dead if he continues on this way."

Thorin said nothing else and only stood looking at her. Reese finally turned on her heel and strode to her room, locking her door as she shut it behind her. Once on the other side, she slid to the floor, back against the door, and held her head in her hands, finally allowing the tears to slide silently down her face.


	34. Balin's Morning

**A/N: Thank you everyone for your notes and reviews. I find it super helpful to hear everyone's opinions about the story, the characters, and their development. It helps me gather my thoughts to hear other people's POVs, so if you have anything to add, please let me know! On a side note, I got a hobbit tattoo today! I haven't had a chance to really look at it because it's still bandaged, but I know I'm going to love it, even though I waffled about it for the three months between my booking the appointment and going today. It's very simple, just the symbol Gandalf draws on Bilbo's door, in blue with no outline, about three inches tall. I put it on the side of my stomach because it's very personal and I wanted it somewhere people wouldn't see it to ask about it, unlike my other large tattoo that is very visible. When this one is healed, I'll post a picture somewhere of it. **

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><p>Kili of the line of Durin woke the next day to find Balin dozing in a chair by the door. He had a splitting headache and cringed as he caught his own scent, his stomach lurching ominously as he tasted stale beer in his mouth. He sat up in the bed and put his feet on the floor, clearing his throat as he rested his head in his hands. He nearly vomited as he dislodged the phlegm in his throat. He needed something to rinse his mouth out and looked around to find water.<p>

Seeing a pitcher and glass on a dresser across the room, he rose to reach for it but crashed to the floor loudly as he suddenly felt extremely dizzy and nauseous. Rising to his knees, he heaved and vomited on the floor, his sick splattering over his hands and running along the floorboards.

He heard Balin rise, and a glass of water appeared before him. He accepted it gratefully, drinking it in one gulp, before glancing around to find a rag to clean up his sick. Using a sheet from the bed, he began to mop up the mess.

This was beginning to become a more frequent occurrence, although he'd never in his life been as drunk as he had been last night. He didn't remember very much after he and Balin arrived at the inn. He had a vague recollection of his arguing with Thorin, and then everything was a blur.

He imagined Balin had decided to sleep in his room to make sure Kili didn't die in his sleep. Kili felt a surge of guilt at the discomfort Balin would have been in as a result. They were back on the road today, and Balin had given up his one night to sleep in a comfortable bed.

Kili hadn't intended to get so drunk but his anger and jealously at Thorin's happiness and pending marital bliss to the healer had been too painful. He'd desperately wanted to escape and the ale as usual was his way out.

Bunching the soiled sheet in a ball and tossing it in a corner, Kili rose to his feet, feeling a bit better although still extremely hungover. The buzzing pressure in his head that was always present was still there, but he was able to stumble across the room to the pitcher to splash some water on his face. He smelled disgusting and could hardly stand himself. He desperately needed a bath.

"Come along, laddie, let's get some food into you," Balin said behind him. Kili nodded silently as he followed the older dwarf.

Thorin wasn't present at breakfast, and Balin explained that the evening before Thorin had planned to go out first thing in the morning to purchase two more ponies for the healer and her belongings. Kili nodded, wondering if Thorin would ever begin to act like a monarch and allow others to do these things for him. He thought it unlikely.

Despite his protesting stomach, he was able to eat a little, which seemed to make Balin happy as well. He wondered if it was too early to have ale with his meal. He felt he needed something to fortify himself with before embarking on the journey with the lovers. A month ago a hangover such as this would have made him swear off drinking, even if he didn't last the day before breaking his promise to himself. However, he was more realistic now and had come to accept his need, often beginning to drink before the day had fully begun.

The serving girl raised her eyebrows as he placed his order but didn't argue. Balin regarded him sadly from across the table. "Don't you think you could wait a bit, laddie?"

Kili shook his head. "There is no way that I can make it through this journey without something to dull …."

"The pain," Balin finished for him.

Kili nodded and rested his forehead in his hand, eyes closed.

"It won't always be like this, laddie, but I hate to see you ruin your life in the meantime," Balin added.

Kili shook his head again. "Right now I just need to get through this journey with those two. I don't know if I'll be able to stomach it. For the love of Mahal, I wish I understood why Thorin brought me on this journey."

"I believe The King wanted to keep an eye on you," Balin smiled from across the table.

Kili snorted. "I don't need someone to keep an eye on me. And this journey has just made things worse. I just reminds me how useless I am." Kili gestured with his hands. He wasn't even helpful in providing protection. Since the battle, he'd been too terrified to hold a weapon and hadn't even brought his bow on the journey.

"And they make you think of her, don't they?" Balin asked.

Kili nodded as he stared at the table. Balin knew about the elf, but Kili knew Balin was referring to Reese, who occupied so many of Kili's thoughts. "Which just makes everything else even worse, the sleep, the images, this pressure in my head that I can't seem to get rid of," he groaned as he said the last words, rubbing his temple ineffectually.

Balin nodded sadly again. He appeared to be struggling with something and took a long while before he spoke again. "Have you considered going to Adelaide, asking her to come back to you?"

Kili looked at Balin as though he was crazy. "What, and go through this all again? She won't have changed. She never will, so what purpose would that serve? She'll never agree to live in Erebor and to adopt dwarrow ways," Kili shook his head. "This happens to dwarves all the time where the woman doesn't want the man despite his love for her, and that's that. The man has no choice but to continue on with life."

"Aye, but those dwarves aren't in love with Futurians. She was scared and didn't understand. But she is less stubborn than a dwarf and if she knew you wanted her she might come. She might be too afraid to contact you, might think … for some reason… that it's best if she stays away and that you wouldn't want her."

Kili gave Balin a hard look. "And I don't want her, Master Balin. I don't see how it could ever work. We're too different, from different worlds. It's just too hard. It was a mistake from the beginning, Mahal's plans be praised," Kili rolled his eyes skyward in irritation. "And nothing can be done about it now. I have no desire to see her, even if she still loves me, as much as I might …." He stopped talking, not wishing to speak of how much he still loved the woman. He did wonder if things would be better if he had her, but then he remembered that having her meant struggling, fighting, always trying to convince her to stay and not to run away from him, and he knew he couldn't do that anymore, not the way he was now. Not after so much loss and so much pain.

Balin reached across the table to pat Kili's hand in a fatherly manner, a moment of intimacy Kili had been missing, even if he told himself he hadn't. Thorin had been absent in his preoccupation with this journey, and bringing Kili along only served to make Kili feel as though he was a child, not a man to be treated with respect. But still, the simple act of comfort from Balin was warming to him, even if just for a moment.

"What do you miss about her?" Balin asked quietly.

Kili glanced at Balin, surprised at the question. It wasn't typical of dwarves to encourage such intimate confessions in each other, and even Fili hadn't asked Kili this question. Kili sighed and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and staring blankly across the room, thinking for a moment. "Everything. Even the things I hated about her, I miss." He shook his head at the last words, and Balin chuckled along with him at the thought.

"Aye, so it seems to be the way of things with women," Balin laughed. Kili laughed with him and felt himself smile, unable to resist Balin's laugh, his underused muscles aching at the feeling.

He sat considering the white haired dwarf. Even though Balin was much older than he was, Kili felt as though Balin was treating him as an equal, a friend. He hadn't felt that from anyone in a long while, finding instead people tiptoed around him, protecting him like a child. Reese had been the worst, actually, not sharing parts of herself with him, treating him as though he was fragile and needing to be protected from life, not even talking to him before she left as though he couldn't possibly have anything to say that might be important or helpful. As though he couldn't possibly understand where she was coming from. And he did understand, of course he did. He just couldn't believe she would disappear like that without giving him a say at all.

Kili sighed. "I miss how I felt around her. Even though she was always freaked out, always just a little bit skittish, I felt … safe, like nothing bad could happen." Balin nodded at him gently as he paused. "I actually fear for what the company must think of her because I don't think they saw in her what I did. She cares so deeply for other people. She's always helping, and she's fiercely loyal to the people she loves. Usually," Kili added wryly. "It was so hard for her to decide to come on the quest with us, to leave her people behind. She missed Adam and Julie horribly. Although she never really spoke of it, I could tell."

Kili stopped. He felt slightly sick talking about the things he loved about Reese. He didn't want to miss her, didn't want to think about how he would love to have her back in his life. He wanted to hold onto the hurt and anger because he knew it wasn't an option for him. He was different now, and he knew he wasn't able to handle her anymore. He wasn't able to put up with the crap. At this thought, he felt himself retreat into the safety of his hostility.

"But she is nothing but _ikminshulk_ to me, now."

Balin sat considering Kili for a moment. Kili glanced at him, and the older dwarf looked as though he had something to tell Kili. "What is it?" Kili asked

Balin opened his mouth and closed it again, and then finally spoke. "I liked her," he shrugged, smiling at the dark prince. "She was a good lass, and you seemed to be good for her."

Kili laughed coldly. "Not good enough, obviously."

Balin sighed and pushed Kili's plate towards him. "Eat some more. We have a long journey ahead of us."

Kili obliged, forcing some bread down his throat that he followed with a mouthful of ale. He eyed the dwarf across from him. He realized he knew very little about Balin. Balin spent more time with Fili. Being both elder brothers, they had similar temperaments. Kili and Dwalin had more in common, and Kili realized he couldn't even remember a single time in his life before this moment that he had been alone with Balin. To him he had always been his grandfather's and uncle's counsellor and a warrior, nothing more. Slightly irritable and grumpy when he and Fili got into trouble as dwarflings, not that they didn't deserve it. And Balin had no family besides Dwalin.

"I suppose you're lucky to have avoided all of this muck with love and women, hey?" Kili joked, attempting to lighten the mood.

Balin glanced up at him in amusement. "Actually, I fell in love once."

Kili blinked, immediately regretting his insensitive words. He really could be too impulsive sometimes. "What happened?"

"She loved someone else, married him instead." Balin smiled gently. He didn't seem sad discussing it. "It was more than 100 years ago," he shrugged.

"Who?" Kili asked incredulously. He wondered if he knew the person who had stolen Balin's love.

"The King at the time," Balin answered, his eyes twinkling at Kili as he spoke.

Kili sat in his chair. "_Gamil Amad_?" he asked, astonished by Balin's confession. His mind whirled. Balin had been in love and rejected, which happened to dwarves all the time of course, but the personal connection made him react more to Balin's confession.

"I didn't know," said Kili. "I never realized the connection." His grandmother would have been quite a bit older than Balin at the time, which hardly mattered. "Does Thorin know?" Kili asked.

Balin shrugged. "Possibly. It hardly matters now," he said as he smiled gently at Kili. "But it gets easier, laddie, you'll see." Then he repeated his words from moments before, "But I really would hate to see you ruin your life in the meantime."

The day was cold and grey as Balin, Kili, and Thorin waited in the courtyard of the inn for the healer, who had just run inside for a moment. Kili had managed to find a bath and smelled much less like the inside of a rotting carcass. When the healer returned, Kili turned away while Thorin helped her onto her pony, but not before he saw Thorin slid his hand down the healer's thigh and be rewarded with a small smirk from her. Kili had been surprised at her garb. She was dressed as a dwarrowdam might for travel in black breeches and a red velvet coat that reached her thigh. Her hair was in a more elaborate style that complimented her unusual features as well as could be expected. She looked quite adorable actually, and Kili couldn't help noticing her tiny rounded bottom as Thorin hoisted her onto the pony before he turned away gritting his teeth, the buzzing in his head growing.

At last they were on the road again, travelling East. They would be travelling for several weeks, planning to spend a few nights in Rivendell, much to Thorin's chagrin. Thorin's relations with elves had improved significantly in the past months, but he still preferred to avoid them as much as possible. Staying at Rivendell was far too close to Adelaide for Kili's comfort, only a day's ride away, and the last thing he wanted to feel the pull towards Reese, or worse to encounter her at Rivendell should she be in attendance on one of her trading missions. He could only presume that she had returned to her previous work upon her return to her people.

The healer had exclaimed in excitement when she'd learnt they would be stopping at Rivendell. "Oh, I've always wanted to go there!" she'd said as they departed Bree. Kili had to turn his head away so that she didn't see the irritated expression on his face. Not that he spent any time looking at her to begin with. He avoided her as much as he possibly could, always riding ahead of their party so that he didn't have to see her.

He had to listen to her though. Balin appeared to be quite taken with her, and they chatted amicably throughout each day. She peppered Balin with questions about Erebor, his ancestors, dwarf customs, the company, the quest. She was very diplomatic about it, but she seemed to have a way of making Balin open up and chatter on incessantly, much to Kili's irritation.

Thorin's behaviour towards the healer was of a more physical nature, and he'd often hear giggles when they went to fetch water from the stream, which they always volunteered for until Balin and Kili stopped offering and just handed them the water skins whenever they were near water. Kili was surprised, however, at how chaste their behaviour was. They were never gone for any significant period of time, and unless Thorin was losing his touch, Kili was sure their behaviour towards each other never went farther than a hurried embrace in the trees.

Despite his avoidance of the healer, Kili quickly learnt his assessment of her had been quite inaccurate. She was clearly an honorable woman who loved his uncle dearly. It appeared she truly had been waiting for him in hopes that he would one day return. He'd had to endure hearing the story again as Balin had asked her about it. She and Thorin had been disgustingly sweet as they'd sat by the fire, legs barely touching, as they told them of how they'd met, how grumpy and intolerable Thorin had been towards her, and how she had always hoped he would return to her. They clearly left out several details and had reshaped the tale into a sweet love story that painted Thorin as a love struck puppy, which Kili knew couldn't be any farther from the truth.

Despite his eagerness to get back to Erebor, he was relieved when they'd finally arrived at Rivendell. He would have three days break at least from the lovers. He intended to spend those three days in his quarters and hopefully wouldn't be required to emerge for meals. He doubted this likelihood though, as it would likely be a source of concern if the younger prince of Erebor didn't join the king and Lord Elrond. But any break would be welcome before they continued on their journey.

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><p>ikminshulk = dirt<p>

Amad = mother

Gamil = old

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><p><strong>AN: Forgive me for the liberty I took with age. If you didn't notice, don't go looking for it :) XO RP**


	35. Three Dwarves - by kkolmakov

**A/N: Two updates in one day! This one is written by kkolmakov and has some really good stuff about what Wren sees Kili going through as they travel to Erebor.**

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><p>Wren, the former healer in the city of Bree, and to her own astound ment suddenly the future Queen Under the Mountain, stretched on a wide bed and felt her tired back relax. After days on the pony back, her spine was buzzing, and she thought she could hear something crack in her pelvis. She was lying in the silent dim room, on the pleasantly cool, smooth sheets, and her situation finally fully dawned on her. She gave it a thought and then pinched her arm. She immediately hissed, her skin was sensitive and would bruise even from a gentle poke, and then she lifted her hand and looked at it. One, two, three, four, five. All fingers present, no extra ones. She was not sleeping. She was in Rivendell, she just had the best bath in her life, and she was indeed travelling to the Lonely Mountain. The reason for her travel stubbornly reminded of itself, but she shoved it to the back of her mind for now. She did feel calmer after the bath, the second one in the course of the evening. The first one she took was before dinner at which she was introduced to none other but Lord Elrond, Lord of Rivendell, after which she had to share a meal with him, sitting on the right hand from her future husband Thorin Oakenshield. Wren considered pinching herself again, but it really hurt last time. She turned on her side and tried to will some sleep.<p>

Her mind whirling, she soon understood it was easier to let all of the events of the last weeks rush into her mind than fighting her own railing emotions. She managed to organize her thoughts ten years ago when she lost her lover Aldacar, she was calm and composed seven years ago when Thorin Oakenshield appeared in her life and left as quickly, taking her heart with him, she could do it now. She closed her eyes and exhaled. She imagined a chest of drawers and pulled the first imaginary drawer.

Here lay her feelings for the Dwarven King, locked in it seven years ago, too painful to ever be touched, and suddenly flaring and flooding all her being. She allowed herself think back at the moment when she saw him in the infirmary for the first time. Dirty from the road, paler and wider than she remembered him, features harsher, his blue eyes burning, he was frozen in the middle of her infirmary, and she doubted her eyes. Her heart painfully clenched, and the room swayed. She took a deep breath then, willing herself not to hope for much, he was probably passing the city again, and stopped by, but then the pain and the love burst in her heart and her mind, and for the first time in her life she decided she did not care. She started running, the only thought in her head was to touch him, and she threw herself on his neck. When she was taking the last quick steps, she realized later, his arms opened, and he took a few steps to meet her.

She would laugh about it later, but at the moment he pressed her into him, she heard the sarcastic voice of her best friend in her head, "Are you out of your mind, Wren? Where is Smarty Pants Wren, dull and uptight, the little bossy know-it-all that we all know and love?" And she barked at the imaginary Thea in her head, "Shut up! I have this one chance, and I will not waste it! I have a life of heartbreak and loneliness ahead of me, I am not passing my only chance to be close to the man I love. Even if for one instant."

She chuckled in her larger than necessary bed in Rivendell and suddenly realized there were tears in her eyes. She clenched her jaw and willed them from spilling. He asked her to marry him. She agreed. He was a Dwarf, they did not play with such matters. He kissed her, and she literally felt her toes curl. He solemnly declared he would not bed her till the wedding night. She agreed again. On the other hand, she highly doubted he would last. Again, he was a Dwarf, they were known for their libidinousness. She was looking forward to experiencing it first hand. She thought of the short embraces in the bushes, their lips would meet, and he would lose control and press her into a tree. Then he would shake his head, in a gesture so reminiscent of a stroppy pony that she would giggle, and then he would drag himself from her, to her amusement and his obvious frustration. He would glare at her, and she would laugh. He probably seemed intimidating to others, but she only felt giddy and hesitantly playful with him. He desired her, she felt it in every touch. There were glances that scorched her, there were whispers that would make her skin tingle, and all she wanted was to press herself into him and forget the world existed.

Wren smiled and allowed her one little moment of weakness. She would think of him for one minute, and then this drawer would be closed. His eyes, the scorching palms, the surprisingly fluffy lashes, the lips, the shoulders… She felt suddenly hot in the chilly room and buried her burning face into the pillow. The large muscular build, the force and speed with which he moved, the regal posture, everything about him made her dizzy and enamoured. For seven years she had lived with a constant dull ache in her chest. It would reside in her blood, poisoning it. And now it was gone.

He was gentle, respectful, attentive. She momentarily remembered how she leaned to fill a water skin, and a comb slipped out of her hair. Her braids sprang to freedom, their ends dunking in the spring, and he moved, and to her shock she saw the comb, never having reached the ground, grasped in his hand. Astonished by the speed with which he could move, she stared at him, and he suddenly pecked her lips and grinned. He gently moved her braids behind her shoulders and handed her the comb. Something flashed in his eyes, and she thought back on all those accounts she had read of the meaning that hair had in the Dwarven culture. He slowly released her plaids, the curly tails sliding through his fingers, and there was something endlessly intimate and passionate in his eyes at that moment, and she could not help it. She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his in an unrestricted kiss, perhaps for the first time in her life losing control thusly. Or the second. She did behave rather unseemly in the closet in the infirmary.

Her minute of mawkishness was over, and she shook her head. She had a lot to think of. She would see him in the morning, he would smile to her, and she would be able to ogle him as much as she liked. She was good at discreetly watching people. For years she managed to stay almost invisible for most people.

She sighed and pulled another imaginary drawer out. She was marrying a King. She was to become a Queen. She was to rule a country, a people, and none other but narrow-minded, bigoted, conservative Dwarves. She rolled on her back again and steepled her fingers on her middle. That would require a lot of work, and she would need to be smart about it. She did not doubt she could do it, become his Queen, become worthy of the honour, but establishing respect and submission from Dwarves would be a labourious task.

There were a few things that gave her hope. Firstly, she knew of how unquestionable Thorin's authority was for the Khazad. She had a chance to talk to some of them in these seven years, even once after the Battle of Five Armies, and she knew the story of the Quest for Erebor, the dragon and the battle with Orcs and Wargs. He had chosen her, she was his One, the thought of it made her feel warm and safe. They would not dispute his choice, they would doubt and probably hate and despise her, but no one would question her right to sit on the throne near him. And she would prove she had every right for it. She had his heart, she needed to gain his respect and admiration. And for that she needed allies.

That brought her to the second thought she found consoling. She thought, and she was very rarely wrong in interpreting the minds of people, she already had one friend in Erebor. Balin, son of Fundin, a white haired Dwarf accompanying her King on this trip, an attentive listener and a wonderful storyteller, amazingly agile for his age, was one third of all Dwarves Wren had at her disposal right now to base her perception of the Khazad. Given she understood that Balin followed Thorin's lead in his attitude towards her, she felt genuine affection in him. They seemed to establish wonderful relationships from the start. He was endlessly respectful, treating her as a Queen already, and she found his company very pleasant. She was also perceptive enough to understand that he was so willing to accept her as he was pleased by the changes in the King that her presence seemed to have brought.

A few nights ago all three of them were sitting around the fire, the King's nephew sitting a few feet away from them as usual, and without noticing it himself, Thorin started humming some melody. She had never heard him sing before, and she held her breath. His voice was low and velvet, pitch perfect, he followed the tune effortlessly, and she caught Balin's eyes. The older Dwarf looked very pleased, and she assumed such relaxed state was not characteristic for the King Under the Mountain. Judging by the cantankerous and bad-tempered disposition he had showed seven years ago, her assumption was right. The King suddenly stopped his humming and looked at the two of them. They probably were a hilarious pair, an older Dwarf with a cordial, fatherly smile on his lips, and an enamoured girl with wide open eyes and slightly dazed face.

"Is something the matter?" They both vigorously shook their head and pretended to be very busy with their dinner. And then she looked at Balin from the corner of her eye, and he nodded to her as if thanking her for the King's mood. She gave him a small smile, hoping he could see in her eyes that in no way she felt responsible for the changes. All three of them went back to pleasant silent companionship. The only thing tarnishing the evening was the dark brooding figure of the King's nephew sitting lost in his thoughts, leaning on a tree on the edge of their camp.

The thought of the third of her companions made her shuffle uncomfortably on her bed. Kili of the line of Durin was an unusual Dwarf. She had seen enough of the Khazad to understand that something was horribly wrong with the King's nephew. He seemed utterly broken, hardly keeping it together, unkempt, thinned. She was a healer and knew the signs of physical exhaustion when she saw them. The question she kept on asking herself was what could have happened to change him thusly. Because even through the darkness and constant agitation she saw now, she could see the glimpses of what he must have been before. A gorgeous young Dwarf, full of life, with the dark beautiful eyes that were made to sparkle with mirth and mischief, a mouth with lines sensual and strong, bottom lip full, a mouth that was destined to laugh and sing, strong jawline... Something had knocked down his defenses, the natural resilience of a Dwarf, his nerves in frenzy.

She thought she saw his hands shake, and she was certain it had nothing to do with his dependency on alcohol, though that was surprising as well. Dwarves were drinkers, but they were too stubborn and independent to allow anything to control them, including ale. To develop such habit, and he was obviously suffering from withdrawal, he would have to rely on ale to sustain him on everyday basis. He was pale, dark purple circles under his eyes, and in the time they spent travelling together he hardly slept. She had trouble sleeping too, she was always cold due to her thinness, and it had been almost ten years since she had to spend a night on the hard ground under an open sky. At night she could see him sitting, his hands constantly moving, fidgeting with a twig or a dagger, a dark disturbing energy buzzing in him. Kili was frightening her.

Every little thing about him made her distressed. His beard had obviously been let to grow out. She assumed it was short since he was an archer, but there was no bow on him at the time. The hands though bore the distinct markings left by arrows and a bowstring. Just like his uncle he had wonderful dark strands but they were dirty and were obviously not taken care of. For a Dwarf such negligence was astonishing. His clothes did not fit anymore, he must have lost a lot of weight.

She could see a great deal of resemblance between the two dark haired Dwarves, and she wondered if Kili was a remarkable swordsman just as his uncle, he obviously had the strength and the agility. But at the moment he looked like those mechanical toys when a screw went loose in them and their legs and arms would lose their coordination. Sometimes when he would get up, he would sway. Lack of sleep obviously did not help his balance. He had nightmares, there was no ale to knock him out at the end of the day.

She wondered for how long it had been going on. She would assume among other thing he was suffering from what healers called "soldier's heart." Those who had seen battle, especially if it was their first one, came back from it changed, broken, haunted. She wondered if he had lost someone dear in the Battle of Five Armies. She knew his brother lived and wondered if the other prince of Eredor was the same ghost of a person as she saw in front of her.

But she knew there was something else. Dwarves were a hardy race, they went through their lives with strong beliefs and stubborn attitude. She would think of Thorin, his arrogance, his certainty that he was always right, his obvious ability to bounce back from hardships. She knew of the Battle of Azanulbizar, when he had lost his brother, grandfather and any hope to reclaim the Kingdom of Moria. He fought, he lived, he became the King his people needed at that time. Something did not allow Kili to overcome the mental wounds of his battles.

Among other things, she thought sadly, it was possibly his uncharacteristic for a Dwarf astuteness and self-awareness. Even in the King, as enamoured as she was with him, she could see the Dwarven hardheadedness and self-assurance. She foresaw a lot of negotiating and diplomatic delicacy on her part in the future. Kili had sharp, canny eyes. He knew when he was wrong and knew what was happening to him. And she knew on her own experience, there was nothing more painful in life than understanding the evils of the world and the flaws in oneself, to perceive what nightmare one's life had turned into, and not being able to do anything about it. Kili of the line of Durin knew he was degrading and could do nothing about it.

At the beginning of their travel she assumed he hated her because she was no Dwarf, a woman undeserving to be his uncle's wife, but she soon understood it was not her he hated. He could not stand what she signified. Happiness, requited love, and most of all future. She was Thorin's future, and he was hers.

Rather quickly Wren understood that Kili's heart bore the wounds of rejection. What kind of person would turn their back to a Dwarf like him? There was strength, and pride, and strong will in him. Someone broke him, all hope for fullfilled future lost for him. And Wren was certain it was done cruelly and unjustly, not allowing him to save his dignity and even more so making him doubt his worth. If he was indeed like his uncle, and Wren saw a keen resemblance in their temperaments, that was the worst of blows for him. To destroy a Dwarf one needs to destroy their pride.

And then she thought of him being a Dwarf and possibly having lost his love, and she would feel even more terrified. For them to meet their One and not being with them was a torture. Through her seven years without the King she often wondered why it hurt so much. Why was it that everyday she lived as if in a dark cloud, every cell in her body in torment, she would go through each day and no matter what she did she remembered the excruciating void inside her. She thought she was being mawkish, childish, she would scold herself, and then dreams would come. She lived, she served, she danced, she laughed, but she carried him in her heart every moment of every hour. She could not imagine what pain such longing would cause to a Dwarf. They were taught from their childhood that there was one and only one to reside in their heart and their mind. Given, it did not spread on carnal matters, but Dwarves loved once. Had Kili already met his One and lost her or him?

Wren was a healer and no matter what her life were to be now, she could not neglect her duty to treat and to help. She so often felt like just jumping on her feet and rushing to him. Yelling at him, shaking him, embracing him, crying for him and with him... Her hands would shake from the piercing pity and desire to help. More and more darkness was gathering in him, and soon it would spill and ruin his life. The hour when he could not control himself anymore would come, and he would rage and bring ruin to himself. She felt her heart clench but she willed herself to sit on her spot by the fire and avoid his burning eyes. There was nothing to be done. He would reject her attempts to interfere, she would only make him retreat in himself more, and were he to lash on her, she would cause a spite between him and his uncle. No one could help him but himself, and unfortunately he could not either.

Wren lay in her bed in Rivendell and hoped that Erebor was inhabited by Balins and not Kilis, and she knew that it probably was. The King's nephew with his tormented mind and dark mood was no typical Dwarf. The rest of them, resilient, hard working, conventional and endlessly practical, had certainly moved on from the war and were rebuilding their life for the glory of Erebor and their King. She just needed to show them she could be their Queen and support their rise to prosperity and peace.

Wren pulled her knees to her chest and shivered. She seemed to always be cold, and the last few nights she had had such a lovely sleep. She was embarrassed to think of it, but the last few mornings she woke up in the arms of the King Under the Mountain. One night he was woken up possibly by the loud chattering of her teeth. He looked at her for a few moments, and she tried to smile to him, but her nose was probably blue and the smile looked more like a grimace. He silently got up and lay near her. She could feel the heat coming from his body even though he did not touch her, through the clothes and his brigandine, and she threw all proprietary away and pressed into him. He wrapped his arms around her, and she buried her nose in his neck. He chuckled, probably from the coldness of its tip, and she felt her body relax and sleep taking her over. In the morning she woke up, him wrapped around her, and she was surprised by how familiar and comfortable his bone crushing embrace felt. And then she blushed, suddenly imagining how inappropriate they looked. But Kili was nowhere to be seen, and Balin was sitting by the fire as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening in the camp, and she allowed herself a small indulgence. She nuzzled his neck, coarse hair on his throat scratching her skin, and she felt a low rumble in his chest, under the palm she apparently put over his heart at night. She was too embarrassed to look at him and scampered busying herself with the usual morning errands. The day went on as all the days before it, and in the evening he just took his place near her. She curled into him and sighed happily.

She shuddered and wistfully thought that she would happily exchange the comfortable, luscious bed in the Elven palace for another night on the hard ground with pinecones trying to drill through her spine but with the King's warmth and smell of his skin enveloping her. There was a solution to her problem, but it took her another half an hour of struggling with herself to realize that as improper and indecorous as she knew her actions would be, she was going to do it. She exhaled and climbed out of the bed. The King's room was down the passage, the maid showing her to her room told her, and Wren stepped into the corridor. The floor was cold, and she regretted not putting on her shoes. In the darkness and silence of the passages of Riverdell she quickly slid by the row of the doors and not giving herself a moment to chicken out and turn back, she carefully pushed the door to the bedchambers of Thorin Oakenshield.


	36. Thorin's Bath

**Announcement: _What the Future Brings_ has been translated into French by Nimiria, which you can find here: s/10582317/1/Ce-que-le-futur-apporte****. It's so well done, and I encourage everyone to please follow/favourite it, even if you don't speak French, just to show appreciation of this phenomenal work.**

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><p>Thorin, son of Thrain, King Under the Mountain, sat soaking his aching muscles in a steaming bath alone in his room in Rivendell, his long hair unbraided and floating in the water around him. There were lilac petals in the water, and he wondered where the elves found lilac petals in winter. The scent reminded him of Wren, who always seemed to smell like the sweet purple flower. Maybe she had pressed them into her clothes or kept dried flowers from summer.<p>

They had arrived late that afternoon on their journey back to Erebor from Bree. It was the first time he'd found himself truly alone in weeks, and he disliked it greatly, which surprised him even more greatly. He found he missed Wren, the Healer from Bree, and his future wife. He'd thought he would enjoy having a moment to himself, but as soon as the door had shut behind him to his room, loneliness had set in. He wasn't accustomed to the feeling.

Regardless, he was enjoying soaking in the hot water. He was used to bathing once a week, and it had been several weeks since he'd been able to. The streams they passed on their road back to Erebor were frozen in mid winter, and so bathing opportunities had been few.

His thoughts strayed to when he last saw Wren, at dinner. She had been deeply engrossed in conversation with Elrond. It had been quickly established that while Elrond and Thorin had nothing to talk about, Wren and Elrond had a great deal to discuss. They discussed at length Elven healing methods, a topic of great interest to them both. They'd become engrossed to the point where they'd lost track of time over the dinner, and Elrond hadn't even acknowledged Thorin's presence during the meal.

Thorin had been horribly jealous the entire dinner, which was also uncharacteristic of him. He'd never been in a relationship where he would have cause to be jealous. His attachments had always been open ended.

He didn't know how to manage feeling jealous. He dealt with it by trying to calmly watch his future wife as she spoke with the Elven lord, while enjoying the excellent cheese the elves had served. He was tiring of observing without touching her, but there was nothing to be done about it. He noticed she had a voracious appetite. She ate small bites like a bird, but he'd been delighted by how much she'd eaten in her delicate and precise way. He'd smiled at the thought and was reminded of another meal on the road.

They'd been camping, and she'd been sitting with Balin and Thorin by the fire. Kili had been sitting off to the side, sulking as usual, which Thorin had been finding irritating and was glad he did not have to face directly. They'd been eating fish, and she'd suddenly pushed a water skin into his hand, her fingers stroking his wrist slightly before she pulled away. She clearly expected him to drink the water.

He'd looked at her in surprise, and she'd also seemed shocked by her own actions, clearly realizing she'd just treated a grown dwarf, King Under the Mountain no less, as a child. She'd blushed a deep red, something he was noticing she did quite a bit and which he enjoyed quite thoroughly, often doing things on purpose just to make her blush. She'd rushed to explain herself then. "Fish have dark blood," she'd declared hastily, "so you need more water," her face still flaming. He'd chuckled and had lifted the skin to his mouth, emptying it completely, dramatically shaking it in the air afterwards to show her it was empty, that he'd been a good boy and had done what he was told. He'd heard Balin's quiet laughter at the scene as Wren had dropped her head back to her own meal. Thorin had smiled at his old friend who grinned back at him, both equally enthralled by her.

He laughed again at the memory as he settled deeper into the water. He rather enjoyed this directive maternal way of being she had, the way she had of patting his shoulder or stroking his arm lovingly. He'd not been cared for in such a way except when he was quite young, having to grow up rather quickly after Smaug's attack. He didn't think he would like it, but somehow when Wren was taking charge of him he had no desire except to comply, if for no other reason than that it brought her such pleasure.

She truly delighted him. He loved her deeply, but he also genuinely liked her. She made him laugh and he was never safe from surprise when she was around, always making him take pause with an unusual perspective on things or her unusual treatment. She seemed much older than her years, although he was painfully aware that he was far more advanced in age than she was. He was starting to feel old, had aches that didn't go away quickly. He wondered if she felt as though she was marrying an old dwarf.

He realized that he'd only had two months to get to know Wren, and at that they were hardly courting. He had been her patient at the time, and she'd maintained a detached distance from him for most of the time he was requiring her care. His nephews had thought he was insane when he'd told them the story of their meeting and that he intended to seek out a healer he hardly knew seven years ago. Thorin then realized that the same could be said of her. When he'd been in search of her, he'd only hoped he would find her, unattached. However, he hadn't considered that she had been waiting for him after only caring for him for two months as her patient. He laughed again. They made quite the absurd pair indeed, both having faith that the other would return into their lives after such a brief encounter.

He noticed that she looked at him differently now. She'd always seemed cool and detached before, and he now realized she had been guarding her feelings. But now he caught beautiful loving expressions on her face, and her eyes truly shone with affection when she looked at him. He often couldn't help but wink at her at times like this, delighting particularly in how she would blush when he did.

His mind wandered as the image of Wren's blush lingered in his memory, and he recalled that Kili had not been at the meal that night. Kili had been shown to his chamber upon arrival and had not been seen by Thorin since. Thorin had to admit he was glad Kili had not made an appearance. He was beginning to look sickly and was causing alarm. Thorin wasn't sure if Kili would have been able to maintain any sort of composure that evening as he seemed hardly able to conduct himself appropriately at all these days.

Kili was like a son to him and might be the closest thing to a son he'd ever have. He wasn't sure that he and Wren would be able to have children. He'd never heard of a human and dwarf conceiving a child. He knew Wren likely had similar concerns, considering her experience as a midwife. It made him sad that he might not ever be able to give Wren children of her own.

But Kili really was like a son to him. Since Kili's father had died when Dis was still carrying Kili, Thorin had been the only father figure Kili had ever really known. Kili had looked to Fili this way as well, but a brother wasn't the same.

Being in the bath thinking of raising Kili reminded him of a time when he was bathing Fili and Kili as young children. They usually bathed together as keeping the two in the same place under supervision was the easiest way to prevent disaster. They loved their baths, and usually these times were filled with laughter and a large wet mess.

Kili had tended to play in the water more than Fili did. Fili understood he had a job to do when he was in the bath, which was to get clean, while Kili wanted to splash and play with toys Bofur had made them. Fili had been quite a serious child, and Thorin had always been secretly grateful Fili had his brother to lighten him up. Fili started to have more fun as he got older, but as a child he'd been very reserved, bordering on severe, although always gentle with his younger brother.

During this particular instance, Fili had been sitting in the water, as he always did, washing or playing calmly with his boat. This one time that came to mind, Kili had for whatever reason simply unable to tolerate being in the water. Thorin had tried everything to coax Kili into the water and was at his wit's end, resolving instead to bath the thrashing child as quickly as possible in whatever water still remained in the tub. It had been over a week since Kili's last bath, and he was completely filthy so there was no way they could skip the bath that evening.

Kili had been screaming and hollering, and Thorin had been sure that they could hear his wails all the way to Bree. This was something Kili had never grown out of, he'd always been loud, whereas Fili always maintained a quieter demeanor, patient, and soft spoken, although unlike his younger brother Fili had an intensity to him that needed to be checked at times.

During this bath, Fili had suddenly picked up the bath brush and smacked Kili's bottom with it. Kili, who worshipped his older brother, had been so surprised he'd stopped crying immediately. Thorin had been stunned and stared at Fili in shock. It was completely uncharacteristic of Fili to be violent. Even though he was excelling in his weapons training, which he'd begun as soon as he'd been able to lift a wooden sword, he approached it respectfully, seeing violence as a means to an end that should only be chosen if no other option existed

"Fili! Why would you do such thing?" Thorin had cried, meanwhile not missing an opportunity to quickly bathe the still stunned Kili, who was now sucking his thumb in silent shock.

"You told me when I am king to only use force when all else failed. You'd tried everything already. This was the next logical step, uncle." Fili had surveyed his brother curiously. "It appears to have worked."

Thorin's beard twitched at the memory. He was tortured seeing Kili go through what he was. He only ever did things to help Kili, to ensure his happiness, however misguided his efforts might be. No one knew it but he was worried sick about Kili. He knew he appeared angry, and he often was angry and annoyed with Kili, but at times he was aware that his anger and annoyance was a result of his fear that he was losing his dear beloved nephew, the boy he'd raised since infancy and had done everything possible to protect from harm.

Kili only ever wanted to be loved. Thorin had a hard time being careful not criticizing him, but hurting him was like kicking a puppy. Kili only wanted to please. Criticism seemed to roll of Fili's back, but Kili seemed to crumble under even the slightest weight. It was for this reason that Thorin had not wanted Kili to come on the quest. Kili had been heartbroken when Thorin had told him he would not be coming. Fili was going, and Kili assumed he would be too.

Dis had been pleased with Thorin's decision. She'd understood why Fili had to go, but she saw no reason for Kili to not stay home and stay safe. Not that Kili wasn't able to take care of himself. In fact, in battle he was deadly, beyond capable. He'd demonstrated his skill repeatedly in training, as an escort for merchants, and in small skirmishes they'd encountered.

His skill with a bow was unequalled, and he nearly rivalled his brother with a sword. His insecurity drove him to excessive perfectionism, always afraid he wouldn't be good enough. Few knew this about him as he outwardly came across as light, carefree, and even irresponsible. Thorin suspected many saw him as the reckless spoilt younger heir of Durin who'd been allowed to do whatever he liked, always getting into trouble, and getting the older heir into trouble with him. In ways he indeed had been over indulged and over protected. Dis and Thorin held Fili to such high standards that they almost made up for it with Kili.

Maybe that's why Kili had such a thirst to prove himself. Thorin remembered one argument with his youngest sisterson many years ago when Kili had angrily said that all Thorin and Dis saw was Fili, Thorin's perfect heir, and that Kili was just a disappointment, not good enough, so he had to be treated like a baby. Thorin had been a stunned and couldn't believe that Kili thought this. Thorin had tried to explain that he and Dis thought no such thing and only wanted to protect Kili. They couldn't with one child so why not with the other. Kili had stormed from the room, shouting, "I'm just as good as he is!"

Regardless, when the time for the quest came, Fili would hear none of Kili's staying behind. Where he went, his brother went, without argument. Thorin had been taken aback by his eldest nephew's sudden defiance of him. He saw the determination in him of the king he would one day become, standing strong for what he saw as right. His normally mild mannered nephew had been furious even at the suggestion that Kili stay back. If only he could for Kili. If only Kili had someone to show him how worthwhile he was.

It was worse that Kili knew exactly what was happening to him. Everytime Thorin looked in Kili's eyes he felt as though he was looking at a drowning man who had realized he was beyond saving, a chilling look of terror and sadness in his eyes. If only Reese hadn't left. Thorin was sure she would have been able to keep Kili safe, kept him afloat.

Reese Jacobson was even more complicated than Thorin had realized. Thinking of female dwarves, his sister was complicated. She was stubborn and angered quickly. But dwarves weren't usually complicated the way Reese was. He'd seriously misjudged how hidden she kept parts of herself. Reese had depths she'd protected everyone from seeing until she was pushed.

He had truly through that Reese and Kili would be bonded for life. They fit together perfectly. Watching them together was like watching a perfectly choreographed dance. They moved as though they were always connected, always aware of what the other was doing. It was beautiful. There was no other word to describe it.

He had been furious with her for her impulsivity and for just leaving without a word. It was a childish way to deal with things. She was a mother herself and there was no excuse to act that way. He'd been so angry with Reese he probably hadn't even seen to Kili as he should.

He had to admit to himself that he also missed Reese. He considered her a friend, and he had few of those. He'd been delighted about the possibility of her marrying Kili. And it was likely for this reason that he could see her point of view, understood how panicked she must have been. He'd actually been irritated with himself for not anticipated her move, but he'd been preoccupied with the quest and had assumed that she would stay her course, as a dwarven woman might have done. She'd been right when she'd told him their lack of commitment was the reason they worked together, and he should have known she'd take flight.

She'd been different when he'd seen her in Bree. There was a heaviness to her, a sadness, as though she was carrying a burden. Her gaze had been distant, guarded. She'd never looked at him that way before. And there was something else too. A cautiousness, defensiveness. He'd surprised himself when he overreacted when he'd grabbed her collar. He would never raise a hand to a woman, but his relationship with Reese was different. She was like family to him now, and in ways he treated her the way he would his nephews. But he'd been even more surprised when she'd cowered protectively over herself, clearly afraid of him, moving to a safe place in the room far away from him. The Reese he knew would have reacted angrily. She might not have outright fought him, but she would have at least struggled. Unable to determine the cause of this behaviour, or if he was just imagining things, he dismissed the thought disinterestedly.

He considered her words when he saw her and knew they held the weight of truth. He had put Kili in harms way. She had been foolish and childish, but she hadn't done anything that would warrant the type of reaction Kili was having. Thorin was supposed to protect him, and he hadn't realized keeping Kili safe meant emotionally in battle, not physically. Few dwarves reacted to battle the way Kili had, having nightmares and turning to excessive drink. But Thorin knew Kili wasn't typical. He'd been unprepared.

He wasn't sure he had made the right decision keeping them apart. Was he right that she would be harmful to Kili? Thorin had been so angry, so protective of Kili, and so riddled with his own guilt of Kili's state that he hadn't thought his decision through. But what was he to do now? If he told Kili now, Kili would be furious with him. But was it possible that even now Reese could bring Kili back from where no other could follow.

She seemed to want to be with Kili, though. She said she loved him. Said that it would be good for Kili to be with someone who loved him. Was she right? He doubted it. However, one thing he knew about Reese Jacobson was that she was no fool. She may be blinded by her own past and insecurities, but she wasn't stupid. But he'd made the mistake of interfering once before by forcing those two together, and he wasn't going to make the mistake again. He would do his best to undo what he'd done before by keeping them far apart from each other.

It was ironic to him, in a way, that he was trying so hard to keep them separate considering it was because of them that he'd begun to consider searching for Wren. Seeing Kili and Reese together, even deciding that they should be together, had made him wonder why he was being so rigid with himself if he did not have the same expectations of Kili. The answer of course was obvious that he had to hold himself to the highest standard as the future King Under the Mountain, which he hoped was a burden Kili would never have to bear . But seeing how well they fit together, how they made each other better, stronger, had made him second guess his decision to question Mahal in making Wren his One.

His thoughts remained on his future wife. His wonderful tantalizing future queen. He groaned as just the thought of her made his cock harden. He felt his skin stretch slightly as his cock became fully erect, standing above the water.

He realized for the first time in weeks he was alone and could relieve himself of some of the agony he'd been in since leaving Bree. His erections were starting to become painful, and he had to go to great lengths to hide them. He'd caught Balin smirking at him knowingly a couple of times.

It was important to him that Wren remain untouched until their wedding night. He had never cared about such things before, but everything was different with Wren. He'd never even thought himself to be the marrying kind, but the battle and nearly dying had changed that. He'd realized how lonely his life was, how isolated he was, and how being so closed off from others weakened him.

His erection was quickly becoming painful, worsened by the thought of his wedding night, as he brought his hand to himself for the first time in weeks, his bent knees falling open to give him access to himself. He knew he would be quick, grateful finally for the release. He was efficient as he palmed himself, not even bothering to touch his sac, and only needed three pulls before he was catching his seed with the towel he'd draped over the bathtub side. He barely made a noise, only whimpering slightly as he came. He hardly felt any relief as he tossed the towel aside and laid back in the tub, but some relief was better than nothing.

His future wife was the most enticing woman he'd ever seen in his life. She wasn't traditionally beautiful, but to him she was endlessly appealing. He never found her unattractive. The outfit she'd chosen to travel in was only worsening his state. A vision of her legs clad in her black boots and trousers, her thin but shapely thighs and her round pert bottom. The coat she wore was supposed to cover her bottom, but it clung to her in an enticing way. Often he found himself riding behind her on his pony, his eyes glued to her bottom as she chatted cheerfully with Balin.

He groaned as he thought of Wren's bottom. It was the perfect size to fit in his hand. The things he'd imagined doing to that bottom of hers. He'd begin by cupping it while she rode him. Then he'd explore her with his tongue. He particularly wanted to run his tongue along the little fold of skin where her thighs and bottom met. And then he'd put his mouth on her, from behind, tonguing her small nub, drinking in her juices, circling puckered hole. He fully intended to ravish her glorious backside when the time came for them to lie together.

Thorin shifted at the thought of his hands on her bottom, cupping and spreading it as she rode him, his fingers pressing into the folds as they stretched around his cock while it slid into her. He wanted to watch as he stretched her, as she widened to take in his girth.

He laughed aloud and stared astonished as his cock rose from the water again, stiff and already leaking precum as though he had not had a release only moments before. He brought his hand to himself. He stroked his balls lazily, neglecting his erection for now, intended to draw this climax out more enjoyably, as he allowed his mind to wander over Wren's delectable body, lingering on his favourite parts. Her collarbones. Her adorable tiny feet that he'd seen on occasion when she'd removed her boots to warm them by the fire. Her delightful breasts.

Her breasts were so small and perfect. His mouth actually watered as he imagined taking them into his mouth. He wondered if they were sensitive, if she would enjoy his running his tongue around small peaks.

He usually enjoyed larger breasts, but Thorin imagined Wren's small breasts could fit perfectly in his hand as he ran his thumb over the tips gently, and he craved to touch them. He had lost several nights of sleep wondering if her peaks were as red as her lips.

His movements quickened as he tugged at his engorged cock, imagining himself straddling her chest, his slick cock sliding between her small perfect breasts before he came, dusting her throat with his seed like pearls strung across her neck and chest.

He tried to imagine that his hand was hers, her cool strong hand stroking him gently. He couldn't convince himself, though, leaving him disappointed. His mind shifted instead to another image, that of her lying below him as he thrust into her, her wild orange hair splayed on the bed like a pillow, a red blush creeping down her neck and breasts as they swayed with each snap of his hips, as he lost himself in her burning gaze.

He was surprised that he found this image so powerful. He normally preferred taking a woman from behind, finding it endlessly arousing, but he wanted to watch Wren's face as she fell apart before him, wanted her to see his love for her. His desire for her was so great that if she only allowed him to bed her twice a day, so much less than what he truly wished for, he'd be satisfied. He knew those of the Race of Men didn't have the insatiable hunger of dwarves and had prepared himself, in fact wasn't even concerned, for having to curb his desires to such infrequent beddings.

His tastes and experiences were varied, but he found he had no desire to subject Wren to anything she might not expect. It wasn't that she was cold. He expected her appetite would be quite healthy for a woman of Men. He only felt no need to explore unique tastes.

He'd be more than satisfied simply happy being able to lie next to her each night, wake next to her each morning, rule his kingdom with her. She would be his partner in all things, and he could ask for no greater pleasure in life. It was with this thought that he finally climaxed the second time, unexpectedly, as he quickly grappled for the discarded towel. He collapsed back into the tepid water, still unsatisfied but feeling he could manage. For now.

Thorin rose from the bath. The room filled with the sudden thunderous sound of the water streaming from his body. Stepping from the tub, he decided it was too late to ask for it to be removed and would leave the water until morning. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he saw to his hair, drying it with a towel, carefully combing it, and weaving the braids on either side of his face. He would finish rebraiding the rest in the morning. He hadn't been able to engage in this ritual on the road, one he looked forward to sharing with Wren when they were married. For the first time in weeks he felt and smelled clean. Feeling sleep edging along the corners of his vision, he slid between the sheets of his bed, his hand snaking under his pillow to grip a dagger as he succumbed to the night.


	37. A Dwarf on a Bed

_Written collaboratively by kkolmakov and RagdollPrincess._

The dwarf in the room lay stretched naked on his bed finally clean after a bath. His room was dark. The candles had burnt out hours ago, but he was far from sleep, his mind whirling from the latest events. A knock sounded at the door and he tensed in irritation at the intrusion. Rising from the bed, he moved towards the door and flung it open, fully aware he was stark naked and hoping it would send a clear message that he did not wish to be disturbed. He hardly cared that he was a guest in the House of Elrond and should be concerned with making a good impression on whoever was on the other side of the door.

He was surprised to find Wren, the Healer from Bree. She was clad in a short light blue nightgown that was nearly sheer, made of layers of complicated lace. He blinked rapidly for a moment, confused as to why he would suddenly think that Reese Jacobsen had one just like it. Shaking the thought from his mind, he noticed a light was shining behind her and he could make out her thin figure through the transparent layered fabric. His eyes lingered on the swell of her small breasts, the red of her small peaks visible through the fabric. Her appearance bordered on obscene, and he wondered if she'd encountered anyone on the way from her room dressed this way.

She looked horribly confused and then startled as she realized his naked state, glancing behind her in slight panic. He smirked in amusement, taking great pleasure in her discomfort. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the door frame casually.

"What can I do you for, honourable healer?" His tone was sarcastic, and she shifted between her small feet. Blush was burning on her cheeks.

"I apologise for the intrusion, Master Kili," she stammered and twitched her nose in her habitual nervous gesture. "I am afraid I must have… All the passages look the same, and I was not heading to you room, I assure you..." Her voice trailed away, and she made a small step back.

He was going to turn back into his room, planning to slam his door loudly into her face, when he realized that while her head was lowered in a seemingly demure gesture, she was studying his naked body, and the flush on her skin was anything but embarrassment. She was taking short shallow breaths in, and he saw her small peaks rise under the lace, bright tips puckered.

Turning towards her slowly, his mouth stretched wide in a feral smirk as he approached her, reaching for her arm. His large hand clasped around her upper arm roughly, and he paused to see what she would do. She did not move, and he saw her red lips open slightly. He pulled her closer and lowered his face to her. She tried to turn away, but he held her in place and brought his mouth to her ear. "Honourable healer, are you sure it's a mistake that you arrived at my door this evening?" His voice was low, dangerous and lethal, and his smirk widened as she shivered at his tone. She tried to pull her arm away, but he noticed her attempt was quite feeble. He'd been travelling with her for several weeks now and knew she was stronger than she looked.

Suddenly her face changed, and her lips twitched. She raised her eyes at him, and he was shocked by the hungry burning in them. She licked her lips, "Not all mistakes are to have unpleasant consequences, aren't they, honourable Dwarf?" Her voice had dropped lower, and suddenly her narrow hand lay on his chest under his right clavicle. She curled her fingers, and her short nails dug into his skin.

He paused for a moment, considering her before casting a glance down the hall. "Who saw you come here?" He growled.

"No one," she breathed. She suddenly brought her hand to his cock, and he tensed as she grasped him tightly, making her intent clear. "No one will know I assure you."

Gripping her arm even more tightly, he swung her into the room, not caring for how rough he was being as he slammed the door and shoved her back against it. She hissed as her back hit the wood, thudding dully. Pinning her to the door with his hips, he brought his hand to the flimsy nightdress and grasped her small breasts.

"Not much to offer, I see," he murmured cruelly.

She suddenly appeared to come to her senses and tried to pull away. "Wait… That is madness… No, no, I belong to your uncle," she whispered, shaking her head.

"Come now, Wren," he emphasized her name cruelly as he used it for the first time since he'd met her. He smirked darkly as he said the words. "It was you that decided you should come to my door tonight. What could possibly have changed?"

She flared her nostrils in irritation and seemingly decided to move towards the door. She paused then. Suddenly turning, she pressed her lips against his feverishly, moaning as his hardened cock pushed painfully against her hip. He brought his hand to her jaw and grasped it in a painful grip as he tore his mouth off hers.

"Do not do that again," he snarled. "You have but one purpose here." His eyes bore into hers and for a moment he thought she might leave. She did not.

Arching toward him she purred languidly, "So no kisses then? Good thing, lips have other purposes," and he felt his cock harden even more. Her hand slid from his chest now and she confidently pushed it and locked her fingers around the base of his member. She clicked her tongue in approval. Keeping her eyes locked with his, she slowly knelt and he saw her small tongue run over her lips.

He stood leaning on the wall, his hand buried in her orange curls, as she took him in her mouth. Her lips slipped along his length, and he groaned, dropping his head back. For an innocent girl she was painting herself to be, she was surprisingly good. His tip dove deep into her throat, she was massaging him, her fingers mirroring the movement on his testes. He looked at her and saw her eyes closed in obvious pleasure. He grabbed a handful of her hair and jerked, making her open her eyes. "You are a bit of a whore, aren't you, honourable healer?"

He saw challenge in her eyes, and he felt livid. Her curls still grasped in his hand, he pulled and she released his cock with a popping sound. He then moved his hand, onto her neck, and made her get up. She was breathing heavily and rose, her body visibly shaking.

He pressed his hand into her shoulder and grabbed the hem of her night dress, pulling her gown up and lifting her as she wrapped her legs around him. He carried her to the bed and threw her down unceremoniously, leering at her as he considered her spread before him. "What would Uncle think if he knew you were such a tramp?" He murmured. She cocked a brow at him as she dragged a small foot up the inside of his thigh until she grazed his sac gently. He wondered for a moment if she was going to kick him and drew back slightly. Her grin widened at his moment of vulnerability, which irritated him.

"I am rather good at pretending to be less experienced than I am, honourable nephew," she drew the moniker with venom in her voice, and he growled. She gave out a short throaty laugh.

He flipped her on her stomach, not wishing to see into her eyes, and she stretched on her stomach cat like, raising her small bum in the air for him. Tangling his hand in her hair, he leaned forward slightly to hiss in her ear.

"Is this what you envisioned when you came here, Healer?"

He let go of her hair and grabbed her arms under her elbows, jerking her back towards him and off the bed. Her knees hit the floor, and she moaned. He settled behind her, aligned his cock with her entrance and pushed in. She was very tight, due to her small size, but she was also clenching her inner muscles, and he rasped, "Enjoying yourself, honourable healer?" She made a small whining noise.

He rolled over her, and she moaned. Her small frame on the bed, delicate slender back and pale skin were a stark contrast to the rough bed covers, and he wondered if the coarse fabric was rubbing on her sensitive peaks. He thrust several times, each of his movement met with a quiver of her quim and a soft gasp. He could see half of her face pressed to the covers, and suddenly he felt furious. A corner of her lips was curled up in pleasure, and in some sort of dark triumph, and he ground his teeth.

He rose slightly, rolling his hips into her harder, and then he placed on knee on the bed near her. He physically dominated her, towering above her as he ploughed his hips into hers. The angle changed, his cock went into her so much deeper, and she cried out. It was a sound of pleasure, but he understood there was pain mixed in it, and he felt a vengeful satisfaction. He drew his cock back slowly, letting her feel it, anticipating the next assault. His hands were pressed into the bed near her head, and he froze, his member almost out of her. He could see she was shaking, her spine and shoulder blades looking exceptionally vulnerable, and he slammed his hips into her.

She yelled, thrashed under him, her hands stretched ahead of her and clawing at the fabric of the sheets. He rose again, this time he shifted his weight on his knee on the bed, and picked up her arms under her elbows again. She had that sort of skin that would bruise easily, and he squeezed her arms harder. He wondered if he could leave ten sharp finger marks on her pale skin. He certainly could try.

Suddenly her whole body tensed, and she started quaking in an obviously violent climax, moaning loudly and pulling at her arms. He saw her biting at the sheets, and he sped up, his hips snapping in even harsher punishing movements. He thought she whimpered asking him to halt, and he jerked her arms to make her quiet.

"More," she whined arching her back. He could feel she was close again and changed angles to peg against a more sensitive spot.

The new angle pushed her over the edge again. "Enjoy while you can, honourable healer," he snarled through gritted teeth as he plunged deeply and quickly. "You'll return to you beloved before long. Although I must say he doesn't seem to have been able to do the deed as of yet. I wonder if he'll be enough for your appetites." Somehow the satisfaction he felt at the thought of defiling his uncle's prize, punishing him unknowingly for his blissful happiness and torturous decision to drag Kili on this journey, served to hasten his own climax as a groan built deep within him.

Kili jerked awake with a gasp, cold from lying on the bed uncovered, the horrifying image from the dream tattooed on his mind. He felt disgusted by the hardness of his cock and ignored it angrily. He rose from the bed and reached for his clothing, realizing his traveling clothes had been replaced with warm soft trousers and tunic and a long black coat. Pulling them on he was unnecessarily rough as he shoved his cock into the trousers. Feeling he was about to suffocate in the room that played the setting of his disgusting dream he quickly went to the door and let himself quietly into the hallway.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Mwuahahahahahaha :D**


	38. Dagger - by kkolmakov

_Written by __kkolmakov_

Although the shadow slipping into Thorin's room moved silently, after years of living in constant danger he felt its presence without opening his eyes. Slowly, without changing his breathing, he slid his hand under the pillow, his fingers closing over the hilt of his wide Dwarven dagger. The stranger moved from the door towards his bed, surprisingly swift in the dark, and Thorin lunged from under the covers, the blade in one hand, near his hip, in a well trained position, from which a short forceful thrust would be most efficient against a tall opponent. With his left hand he aimed at the chest of the person moving between the furniture, estimating where the solar plexus would be. At the very last moment the shadow shrank away from him, and his fist only just scraped what he immediately realized was a cheekbone. The visitor tumbled on the floor backwards, over a low settee, and Thorin heard an undoubtedly female squeak. Still under the intensity buzzing through his veins Thorin leaned in, and since his eyes had already accustomed to the darkness of the room he saw a frail figure on the floor.

"I have to say, honourable King," the healer's voice was sarcastic, "That is not exactly the welcome I expected to receive in your bedroom. I am slightly concerned for our marital life..." He straightened up in shock. She moved on the floor, her arms in white nightdress flailing, visible in the dim moonlight that as Thorin realized was now coming from the window, and he hurriedly stretched his arm to help her rise. Her cold palm lay in his, and he pulled her up.

And then he remembered that he was completely bare. He opened his mouth to warn her, when she stepped to the nearest table and lit the lamp on it. And then she squeaked again and covered her face with her hands.

He made a step back and was pulling a cover off the bed to hide his starkness, when he realized what he saw a second before she covered her face. He immediately forgot the covers and grabbed her wrist. He pulled the hand off her face. A deep bleeding bruise was blooming on her right cheekbone. She blinked under his stare, then her eyes fell down at his naked body, and she hastily closed her eyes.

"You are hurt!" His voice gruff, he rushed to the table by the wall. He dipped a cloth in a basin of ice cold water, and squeezing some of it out he prepared a cold compress. He turned to her again and saw her staring at him with her slanted eyes wide open and twice the usual size. He had no time to deal with her sudden ogling. He stepped closer and firmly pressed the cloth to her face. She hissed and tried to move away. He pressed on her shoulder, making her sit on the settee.

He touched the cheekbone several times and then went back and washed the blood out in the sink again. He thought that his hands were almost shaking, he did not anticipate the cold, petrifying fear that clenched at his heart when seeing her hurt. He came back to her, noticing she was obviously trying to look anywhere but at him. "How much does it hurt, honourable healer?"

"Just slightly," she wrinkled her delicate nose, and he shook his head.

"What in the Durin's name were you doing sneaking into my bedroom?" He looked into her eyes, still holding the cloth to her face, and she blushed and looked sideways.

"I came to talk." He gave her a look over. The nightdress was thin, but demure, covering her head to toe, only tips of her adorable fingers and toes sticking out from under it.

"In this hour?" She was pointedly looking at the ceiling. "Just one more time..." He washed the cloth again and scooting in front of her he pressed the cloth again. "I could have killed you!" Remorse and sudden fear made him sound angry. Somehow the thought of her fragile slender body in pain made him livid.

"Do you always attack first and ask questions later when staying in a friendly house?" He studied the bruise. It was not deep, but she had tender skin. The purple was spreading on her cheekbone.

"I was sleeping..." He sounded grouchy. She gently touched his fingers with the tips of hers.

"I apologise for the intrusion."

"Do not be preposterous. You are not the one who should apologise," he grumbled and got up. His torso in front of her eyes, she inhaled sharply and looked up hastily.

"Would you mind putting something on, my lord?" She asked in a small voice, and he finally smiled. Letting her switch her hand with his and hold the compress, he walked into the other room and found his breeches he had thrown on the floor last night. He bent down and reached for his shirt, but then a mischievous thought flashed through his mind, and he returned to the room leaving other clothing behind.

She lifted her eyes and immediately shifted them on the bed from his naked chest. The new object did not bring her comfort either, and blushing furiously she looked at him again. She was blinking frantically, and altogether he found her endlessly endearing. If he had ever before doubted her virtue, any of those doubts were disappearing quickly. She was obviously unaccustomed to seeing a naked man. At least when not on a surgery table.

"How is your cheek, my lady?" She took the cloth off her face and peeked at it.

"The bleeding has almost stopped," she sighed and shifted on the settee.

"That will teach you to never again enter a man's rooms in the middle of the night," strange giddiness came over him, somehow the thought entertaining him.

"I do not enter men's rooms in the middle of the night!" The indignation in her tone reminded him of their first meeting, and he smiled wider. "You are the only man whose room it ever came to my mind to attend!" She threw the cloth across the room, and it plopped in the basin with astonishing precision. He looked at it in astoundment. She followed his look. "I am rather proficient in throwing knives." He chuckled. She was full of pleasant surprises.

"And what brought you in mine again?" He stood in front of her, and she once again tried to keep her eyes above his neck. She failed.

"I have to confess, my lord, I suddenly felt rather staggered..." Her voice was quiet but firm. "Do not misunderstand me, I am not doubting any of my decisions. But your appearance, the trip, Erebor, the Elves, King Elrond..." She exhaled sharply, and he sat near her on the settee. He was not the most sensitive of men, but even he could understand how such events could be overwhelming. He picked up her hand and stroked her knuckles with his thumb. She took a deep breath in and then looked at him sideways. "As it will always be from now on, you are the closest person to me these days, my lord. I have no one else to go to in my vexation."

"And what vexes you, my lady?" He honestly tried to understand, but he grudgingly thought that he was the last person to come for advice in the matters of feelings.

"I am lonely," her voice was solemn, but though she lowered her face, he thought he caught a strange expression on her face. He was gaping at her like a dimwit. "I left my life behind me, my friends, my practice..."

"You will have new ones in Erebor, and plenty of responsibilities to attend to..." His tone was rather uncertain. Was he providing comfort or aggravating her state? He also felt rather cold. In his attempt to flaunt his physique in front of her he now was feeling rather exposed to the drafts.

"Yes, I am aware of my future obligations, my lord. But I have agreed to go with you for a quite different reason." He screw his eyes sideways and wistfully thought of the comfortable warm covers on his bed. His back was tired from riding the pony all day, and the blankets were so warm and inviting… He willed himself to concentrate on his future wife. He might have been wrong but from the start he assumed she was a sensible woman. Surely, she had come for a reason, and he was to assist her any way possible.

"Indeed, my lady. You have agreed to be my wife, and only secondarily the Queen. It is indeed a rather lonely position, but I will be there to share your obligations." He felt momentarily proud. That surely would console her!

"And the joys too, you will be there to share my joys as well, will you not, my lord?" He froze from her suddenly lower voice and looked at her in disbelief. A narrow hand lay on his thigh, and the strong fingers stroked his muscles. She was still looking down, but he clearly saw a corner of her lips curl up.

Perhaps for the first time in his life, Thorin doubted his mind. Was he hearing right? More precisely, was he interpreting right? And then she looked at him from the corner of her eye, and the thick black lashes fluttered. And then she turned to him, her eyes burning, and her palm slid up on his thigh.

"I am feeling very, very lonely, my King. And cold, the rooms are rather chilly, do you not find?" In those few short moons he had known her seven years ago he did not have a chance to hear her seductive tone, and he suddenly felt grateful that he had not. He would have taken her right there, right then, in some perhaps public place, unconcerned with any decorum and very much possible even her desires. In the dim cold room in Rivendell his blood boiled, and he suddenly felt hot. She was smiling into his eyes, and he gulped. He knew her affectionate, he was not ready for the passionate lustful woman that made his member swell and his body buzz with one simple look and one seemingly innocent observation. He had two options, and looking into her warm eyes, her strong fingers stroking his thigh, higher and higher, he realized that sending her back to her room was certainly not the one he was going to choose.

He lunged ahead, pressing his mouth to hers, and he felt her moving into him just as fast. His hand cupped the back of her head, her hands were already exploring his nape and ears, he bit her bottom lip greedily, she moaned and moved onto his lap. And then her hands slid on his chest, and she moaned even more loudly. His greedy mouth jumped on the frantically beating pulse on her neck, and she dropped her head back. Her nails scraped his shoulders, and he heard her mumbling, "Maiar, so good..."

For some inconceivable reason that sobered him up. He gently pushed her off his lap, though he was not able to recollect how and when she ended up on it, and placed his palms on her shoulders. "Wren, we have to halt..." She blinked and stared at his chest. Her look could only be described as hungry.

"We should halt..." She mechanically repeated his words and then looked in his eyes, "Why should we?" He was ready to yell at her. Surely, she should understand. But on the other hand, looking at her swollen lips and lustful eyes he could hardly remember all the reasons he had to impose the postponement. And he already was stupid enough to graze his hands over her breasts and now the memories seemed to be burning his palms.

"We are not wed. I am not lying with you until you are my wife. For once I am to do it right. Not like before..." Should he have bitten his tongue? Perhaps. He looked at her cautiously. She seemed less dazed, curious now, but not judgemental.

"And what was it like before, my lord?"

Thorin sighed, he hoped he would not have to explain Dwarven sexuality to his future wife. "I have known many women and men, Dwarves experience sexual awakening early… I do prefer women though..." He felt he was saying all the wrong things. He clenched his jaw and tried to focus, "I have never loved another. It was… different…"

"Perhaps you should have omitted the first part, my lord," the healer's eyes were laughing.

"I wish you to know me fully, my heart." She seemed to be taking it better than he expected. He exhaled.

"To be honest, I am not surprised." Her tone was suspiciously impish. "You have showed your experience seven years ago, my lord, when you, and I only repeat your words, wanted to have me on a kitchen table to expel your mad craving for my body." The memories made him uncomfortable. He indeed came to the kitchen that night with a determined intention of lying with her to rid himself of his strange infatuation. Last thing he expected was the overwhelming feeling of longing and affection he felt when her body was in his arms for the first time. The healer seemingly took pity of him, and stroking his face she continued in a soothing tone, "I am aware of the Dwarven ways, my lord, I am a healer and a midwife after all. I accept you fully."

She leant in and pressed her lips to his in a decisive kiss. Few very pleasurable minutes later Thorin felt control slipping again. He felt almost angry. She had too much power over him.

"I wish to make you mine, body and soul, but only on our wedding night." He sounded very peevish, he spoke too loudly, trying to overpower the roaring of lust in his head.

She gave him a serious look and sighed. "As you wish, my lord." Her palms were still pressed to his chest. "But perhaps we could still continue a bit..." He guffawed. She sounded like a youngling trying to sneakily lure another one into bed. He had done it himself, he was young once, and she was hardly subtle. He looked at the freckled upturned nose and pressed his forehead to hers.

"Are you trying to seduce me, my lady?" Her lips twitched, and she rubbed the tip of her nose to his.

"Perhaps, just a bit." They laughed together, and then she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I do indeed feel very lonely, they placed me in an enormous room, it is bigger than the whole infirmary I served in. And the bed is certainly made for five people. I thought I would need a map to find my way out in the morning. I got lost climbing out of it. Twice."

"And yet you have found your way here quite efficiently, my lady," utterly surprised he realized he was flirting. That might have been the first time in his life. He quite liked it.

"I was driven," she murmured and suddenly pressed a kiss to his shoulder. Though her skin felt cool to him, her greedy little mouth was scorching. He once again considered sending her back to her room. Self-restraint had never been his forte.

He cupped her face and looked into her wide trustful eyes. She looked at him with artless glee in her eyes, and he caught her mouth. Surely he would be able to stop before it was too late.

He was not. Only when he realized he was bunching up her nightgown around her hips he tore his mouth from hers and exhaled sharply. She immediately used this opportunity to press her greedy lips to his neck. He had no willpower to stop her, and she whined from pleasure. He realized she was pushing him down on the settee, and he shook his head trying to clear his mind. He needed to make decision, because it was quite obvious that if he allowed her to guide what was transpiring on the settee, in a few minutes he would find himself spread under her probably naked body, she did attempt to pull on the lacing of her dress couple times. Once she straddled him, there would be no return. He would be ravished shamelessly.

"We should move to the bed, my heart," he mumbled, the affectionate moniker had appeared some time ago, and he thought it fitting. He did feel as if she was now his pulse. In his head he would also address her in Khuzdul, but whether he was ready to pronounce all those words of his native tongue, he was not sure yet. She nodded and readily jumped on her feet.

He strode to the bed, pulling her by the hand, and finally slid under the blankets as he had dreamed for a while. But the reality was much better than his fantasies. The addition of a small strong body pressed into him definitely improved the experience. She immediately wrapped around him, and he thought he needed to be more cunning if he wanted this night to end the way he planned. He pressed her into the sheets and slid down her body. He picked up the hem of her nightdress, and she readily lifted her hips, helping him to take it off.

There was a definite flaw in his plan. Whatever he had been intending to do to avoid the temptation of bedding her was hardly on his mind once he felt the bare skin of her shapely legs and thighs under his palms. Once his hands slid over her waist and ribs, she moaned loudly and arched her back. He was going to convince her to only achieve her release and go to sleep. That was a good plan. Or was it? He only planned to tire her out and repose. Or did he?

And in what moment had he forgotten that once she was bare in front of him all his thoughts would jumble? He growled and caught her nipple with his lips. She softly cried out, her body jolted, and her hands flew into his hair. "Thorin..." Never in his life had he heard anything more beautiful than his own name falling from her lips in a low sensual moan. "My King..." He switched to another breast, caressing and drinking the smell and the taste of her slender body. One of his palms slid under her shoulder blades, another under her buttocks, lifting her body to his lips, like a bowl of the sweetest of drinks, and his mouth and tongue travelled over her stomach and to her sex. She squealed and suddenly thrashed in his hands. In his completely drunk state he realized she was not accustomed to such open attentions. On the other hand, she was pressing his head down into her body. That was rather hard to misinterpret.

He needed to slow down. Another minute of complete control over her body, with her so openly submitting to him, and he would not stop. He peppered kisses over her clavicles and her shoulders, cooling down, industriously recollecting his genealogy back to Dain I in his head, and she caught up on his mood. Her eyes opened, and she smiled to him.

She cleared her throat. "Perhaps, I could have some of the same pleasure, my lord..." She sounded shy, and he lifted a brow. She giggled.

"Which is?.."

"Exploration." And she rolled him over, her legs surprisingly strong, and here she was, straddling him, and he choked on his laughter. It felt like being under an unblinking stare of a bird of prey. His mind shouted of danger, and he full heartedly agreed. She was dangerous. The small, suddenly hot palms ran through the chest hair, and she purred. It was indeed a soft purring sound, and he stared at her in amazement. He was a very lucky Dwarf, who unfortunately realized very late that the treasure of a wife he had chosen for himself should be restrained if he wanted to save some of the pleasure until their wedding night.

She lowered her mouth on the muscles on his chest and after a few kisses she licked slowly and sensually. Shiver ran through his body. Her hands slid lower, on his ribs, and he jerked. She chuckled, and her hips slid lower, and suddenly he found her center pressed to his bulging erection through the thin material of his breeches. Something had to be done, and quickly.

He rolled her over and firmly kissed her. He splayed his hand on her stomach, enjoying the smooth skin under his pulps, and then decisively pushed his palm down. The tip of his middle finger brushed her clit, and suddenly she cried out and arched on the sheets. That was undoubtedly the most quickly achieved climax he had ever given a woman. She pressed her hands to her face, and he heard strange strangled noises. Was she crying?

"My heart?" She lowered her hands, and he saw that she was laughing. He looked at her in confusion.

"That was the most pathetic attempt in seduction one has ever seen," her shoulders were shaking, and he hesitatingly smiled as well. She laughed louder, "I came to lure you into my net of charms, and I climaxed when you literality put a finger on me." She covered her face again, and he heard her snort. Suddenly he felt very relaxed and content. Somehow it was so easy and fun with her. He kissed her shoulder and leaned to her ear.

"Care to find out if I can do better the second time, my heart?"

"I would say the first time you also did very well, my..." She gasped and choked on her words, when he dipped his middle finger in her wet folds. A low throaty moan fell off her lips, and he pressed an open mouth to her throat. She was so responsive, attuned to him, wet and ready right away, his head was spinning from desire and love. He loved her, to his surprise it was a very simple and easy thought.

He moved his finger in and out of her, listening attentively to her body's reactions, rubbing her inner walls, for once only concerned with the other's pleasure. She climaxed again, her rapture quick and unrestrained, soft moans so endearing that he murmured words of love into her ear in Khuzdul. Common speech would feel too mundane, somehow the ancient language of his ancestors felt more genuine.

She curled into him and pressed her forehead to his shoulder. "I have a confession to make, my lord..." He lay with his eyes closed, surprisingly sated and relaxed despite an almost painful erection of a few minutes ago. He hummed nonchalantly. "I speak Khuzdul..."

His eyes flew open, and he peered down at her. Only her eyes and the tip of her nose sticking from under the blanket, she gave him a playful impish look.

"It is a secret language of Dwarves, my lady. Where would you have learnt it?" Sudden illogical jealousy made him clench his fists. Had she spend some time with other Dwarves? What had transpired between them? A suddenly clear thought that he would kill anybody who would have any claim on her came to his mind. The rage and possessiveness he felt were cold and calculative. He would use his sword but if possible he would crush some bones with his bare hands.

She yawned and nuzzled him. "I found a book in a pawn shop. I spent three years looking, had to travel to Dale for it, but I did." She sounded very proud of herself, and he suddenly returned to his senses. What was that mad fit?! Never in his life had he felt so towards a lover. His independence and the respect for freedom of others had always been crucial for him. Just a moment ago he was ready to kill a person who would somehow steal her attention from him. He looked at the red haired healer with suspicion. He felt so many emotions and with such intensity when near her that he could almost believe that some magic was involved. She yawned again and chuckled. "If your goal was to tire me to hinder my attempts to steal your virtue, my lord, you have been very successful."

He kissed the top of her head. "You should get some sleep, my lady. We have many days of riding a pony ahead of us." Her eyes already closing, she wrinkled her nose.

"My backside is in mourning, my lord..." He chuckled. There was nothing sad about her backside. He felt his member jerk from the memory of her round firm buttocks in his hands while his lips were caressing her stomach. He willed the treacherous organ to calm down. She was all his now, she would be in her body soon as well. He would do it right, and then he would have his whole life to enjoy her. Again and again, perhaps until she would ask for some sleep. She would have to bear with him especially at the beginning. He had imaginative plans for her. Every night and perhaps couple times during the day. His mind full of visions how to ravish her on the table in the dining hall of Erebor, he was shaken out of his daydreaming by her slurred mumbling.

"Can I stay here?.. It is so warm… You are warm..." He chuckled and pressed his lips to her temple.

"Sleep, kurdu," he slipped into Khuzdul and smiled. She spoke his language.

"Men lananubukhs menu, melekhuh," she mumbled obviously in her sleep, and he stared at her in complete shock. Her Khuzdul was impeccable, consonants deep and throaty. His heart clenched. She loved him. On her lips the coarse fierce language of his people sounded so pure and innocent. He moved a curl off her face and pondered the woman sleeping in his bed. His wife, his heart, his gem, his Wren… Strong, passionate, tender, loving… He intertwined his fingers with hers, and she sighed in her sleep. He quickly kissed her lips and closed his eyes. He did well, he did not waste his chance this time. He was taking her home, and she was everything he had ever hoped for. Erebor had a Queen, and he had a wife. And then, just before his sleep took him, he chuckled. Little temptress… That would surely be an interesting marriage.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I've had questions about if Reese is coming back into the story, and I assure everyone we'll be hearing more from her in a couple of chapters. This little stay at Rivendell doesn't include very much of her. **


	39. Just an AN

Hi everyone - I've gone back and forth on if an A/N would be helpful to everyone or not to provide reassurance that this is not an abandoned fic. In the end, I decided it would be helpful to me to post a note. I've had a lot of thoughts about exactly what to say in such a note and have boiled it down to these main points.

(1) I assure everyone that this is not an abandoned fic, but yes updates are far between.

(2) After receiving a few messages from people that some people are really not enjoying the collaborative aspects of the fic, kkolmakov and I have agreed to suspend our collaboration for this portion of the story.

(3) Updates will continue to be few and far between due to life circumstances as well as inspiration. I think that's the typical reason updates are so far apart for most writers, and it seems to apply to me too. Life has taken a few rounds out of me the last few months, and I have no reason to think that life is ready to lay down its gloves :D While, writing helps to keep me grounded, the boxing match of life does seem to take a lot of time, resulting in my not having the nice six hour chunks of time I need to really make progress on a chapter. Instead I'm squeezing in fifteen minutes here and there, and sometimes those fifteen minutes are spent on other less complicated stories.

(4) Funnily, I'm also between muses at this time, and I was glad to see another author make a similar note, which reassures me I'm not the only FF writer who seems to need a muse in order to progress. However, I will emphasize even without a muse this is not an abandonned fic. Just a slower moving one.

(5) Also just reassurance this is not slow moving because I don't know where I want the story to go. I have a clear idea that seems to remain fixed about what exactly happens next.

Thank you again everyone for your notes, reviews, follows, and favourites. I like feeling connected to the community, and you help me with that.

Cheers!

RP


	40. Galadriel again

**A/N: Hi everyone - It's been a long wait, I know, and I so appreciate all of the lovely notes I got from everyone with words of support for everything that has been going on in my life. What a wonderful community we have, particularly because since my last update I didn't receive a single complaint about the long wait. That was so lovely, and thank you everyone for being so understanding. On that note, since it's been so long, I heard of this great idea to include a brief summary at the beginning of the chapter to reorient everyone to where things pick up. I've included that below. Also, I have great news. The story is finished! But no, this isn't the last chapter :) There are four chapters remaining, including this one. The next chapter will be posted on December 24, followed by December 29, with the final being posted on January 3. Alright, here's the summary.**

_**"Recently" (I use the word loosely) on WTFB: Reese, a Futurian, and Kili have not been in contact since she abandoned him within a week of their setting out for Erebor from Adelaide after she had an anxiety attack when Gloin told her that in his opinion her life in Erebor would be what she would consider equivalent to that of a prisoner of patriarchy. However, upon her return to Adelaide she learnt she might be pregnant with Kili's child, which was later confirmed to be true. Since that time, she's been trying to do a significant amount of work on her "issues" around commitment and avoidance of intimacy, a personality style that predates the trauma of the death of her husband and child but became much more maladaptive style following that loss.**_

_**Meanwhile, Kili is suffering from posttraumatic symptoms following BOTFA, which he, Thorin, and Fili all survived, although not without physical and emotional injuries (Thorin has a "hot" limp I've been told). Kili is particularly struggling with survivor's guilt and not being able to save Tauriel, who died for him, or the mass number of his kin and others in the attack on Laketown and the battle. He feels he has failed, made even worse by the odd emotional reaction that dwarves do not typically have in response to battle. Weeks later, Reese and Kili accidentally converged upon Bree at the same time when Reese was engaging in trade and Kili was accompanying Thorin on an important errand that took them far from Erebor. However, Kili wasn't aware of this meeting because he was sleeping/passed out from drink. Thorin intervened before Reese could wake Kili (it's not clear she was planning to wake him - she was still thinking about it), and told Reese to stay far away from his nephew, which Reese complied with.**_

_**Finally, the errand that brought Thorin to Bree is to find his "One," Wren the Healer, who many of your are familiar with from kkolmakov's work. He found her, found out she's still in love with him, and she has agreed to go to Erebor with him to marry him and be his queen. Now Balin, Kili, Thorin, and Wren have stopped in Rivendell on their long journey back to Erebor. Wren sees how much Kili is struggling and has good insight into what he is really pained by. Meanwhile, she and Thorin are getting to know each other better, including one unfortunate incident when he thought she was an unknown intruder in his quarters, and he physically attacked her. The mistaken identity was cleared up quickly, though, and amends were made.**_

**That's about it, so here we go, folks, as we embark together on this final leg of the journey.**

* * *

><p>Kili, Heir of Durin, Son of Dis, and survivor of the Battle of the Five Armies, stood on the landing at the end of the walkway to his chambers, overlooking the deep ravine into which a small stream of water fell from a carved stone spout above him. He was obscured by the fall of water, and he thought back to his balcony in Erebor where he often hid, thinking it would be perfect to have a similar fall obscuring him from the sight of others.<p>

He took a deep breath, one of several he'd taken to dispel the lingering images of the dream he'd woken from. The dream had unnerved him and had left a sour feeling in his stomach. He knew the dream didn't mean anything, was just his broken mind reminding him of how much he missed Reese, now that he was in the presence of a woman of Men. He knew he would shake it off. He was used to bad dreams, but this one might take longer because it was about the healer.

He despised her, hated being around her. Although he hated that his kin thought that his current state was due to his being abandoned by a woman, it was worse that the healer saw that his pain came from the emotional scars left from battle. The way she looked at him with those strange eyes infuriated him. She saw too much.

He began to walk away from the fountain, deeper into Rivendell, waiting for his mind to clear. He climbed staircase after staircase until he was at the top of a high tower. He'd come upon a group elves dancing gaily around a fire. The seemed unaffected by the cold winter air as they sang a light song. He leaned against a pillar watching them and slowly began to realize they were singing about him. The words hardly matched the tune.

_He looked into the future and thought he'd found his home,_

_But the future ran away from him and he found he had none._

_Kilikoo Kili Kilikoo  
><em>

_He faced flame and fire with poison in his veins,_

_When hair of flame and red and gold sacrificed for Durin's gain._

_Kilikoo Kili Kilikoo_

_And so his soul was torn, after his journey from west to east, and_

_Now that he has his home at last, he finds he belongs there the least._

_Kilikoo Kili Kilikoo_

_She lies in wait below the heart ready to cross the gate,_

_Should claim her his and bring his lips to her cheek, make no mistake._

_Kilikoo Kili Kilikoo_

_For the future will bring the one who will heal all whose blood she shares,_

_The person there should be repaired, cleansing the soul as three become one._

_Kilikoo Kili Kilikoo_

_But the future is shy and so never comes, and the stubborn don't go to meet,_

_To wash away the dirt of the past, for the road has passed beneath the feet._

_Kilikoo Kili Kilikoo_

It wasn't the first time he thought that the elves of Rivendell were ridiculous compared to the Mirkwood elves. He'd often come upon them dancing, laughing rudely at the expense of others nearby, aggravating with their smug faces.

Having heard enough and only understanding half of what they said, Kili turned and raised his eyes when they were caught by a glowing light that shone around a corner. He moved towards it and as he turned the corner was surprised to find himself behind a tall elf with long curling blond hair in a long silver dress. She seemed to emit a soft glow as she looked over the dark valley.

The elf turned and saw him, smiling as she spoke. "Ah, Kili of the line of Durin. Is it you I am here to see?"

Kili felt surprised despite himself but didn't have the energy to convey the emotion. He glanced around, seeing no one else was present, and shrugged as he gazed upon the tall elf, her long flowing blond hair glimmering in the starlight.

"I suppose that it for you to tell me, my lady, as I do not know who you are and I was hoping to see no one." He was barely surprised by his rudeness but noticed she only raised her eyebrows as she smiled slightly as though pleased by the edge in his voice.

She looked at him expectantly, clearly waiting for him to say more, but he only stared back, feeling uncomfortable. After a moment she sat on a bench and patted the seat by her side.

"Come Kili, Prince of Erebor, and sit with me." He hesitated before approaching her, hopping up to sit on the bench. He looked up at her expectantly, finding her to be particularly tall for an elf. His head didn't even reach her shoulders as he sat beside her. They sat in silence, hearing the elves' song still chanting in the background.

"So you are the Lady of Lorien, then," he guessed in a resigned tone. She smiled at him. Sitting closer to her, he found he liked the look of her crinkled impish eyes, her mouth stretch wide in a smile.

He felt less lonely beside her and wondered what the fuss about the Lady of Lorien was. Reese had disliked the blond elf, going on and on about her annoying "head talk," as Reese had called it. But he found he quite liked her presence. He felt safe. Comforted. He found himself breathing more deeply and felt some tension melting away from his shoulders.

"Your heart is broken," she said after a long pause. He sighed before he nodded, surprised that he felt no need to hide himself from her. He knew she spoke of all of the ways his heart had been broken over the past months. "There has been so much loss, too much for one so young." He stared at his hands. "But there is hope," she said. "For you the quest has only begun, and what you seek has yet to come to exist."

He furrowed his brow. She seemed like she was being very direct, but he wasn't sure what she was saying. "So do you mean I have to wait for something? To get better?"

"The moment will come soon, and when it does, you must be ready and open to receive it."

Kili didn't need to ask for clarification. He swallowed thickly, his eyes painfully dry. "And what if I choose a different destination than the one you speak of?"

The elf shook her head. "There is only one path before you. There is no choice. You will meet. It is destined. The one will be waiting there for you, but she is not patient. It will not help you to keep her waiting. You have some time, but do not keep the one waiting too long for you only prolong your own healing."

Kili felt sad and angry, but he knew the elf's words held truth. He sighed. "But I don't want what you speak of. Can I not choose a different future?"

"No more than you can change the past, than you can undo what has already come to pass, than you can erase the images that fill your head. There is one path for you, but it only matters how quickly you travel the path."

Kili actually groaned in frustration. "But that's not what I want."

"But it is what is being given to you. Not accepting that which you cannot control only worsens your own suffering."

Kili shook his head again, familiar frustration boiling inside him. "What you're speaking of makes me suffer too."

"Perhaps, but suffering is part of life. You cannot escape it, and without walking your path, your life is without meaning. You cannot avoid what the future is bringing, anymore than you can avoid reminders of the past. You must approach both in order to heal, in order to be complete. Only through approaching, not avoiding, can you begin to heal your heart, to knit together the different parts of yourself so that you are whole. It will take time, but the first step on the journey will appear, and you mustn't turn away." They sat in silence a moment longer before it became clear she had nothing else to speak to him of. He hopped from the bench and bowed low before the elf.

"I take my leave, then, my lady," he murmured. She smiled at him again, and he thought again that he liked her crinkled blue eyes. They reminded him of his brother's.

"Oh, master dwarf, you will find sleep during and won't be plagued by anymore dreams during your stay here." He gasped and spun, startled to hear the voice in his head, low and warm, but the balcony was now empty. Kili sighed as he turned away, beginning to walk again. The elf's words had turned his mind, and he reluctantly began to consider the meaning of her message.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This chapter was inspired when I was reading The Hobbit a couple months ago. I wrote it then and have been sitting on it since then. The elves are so different there and sing a ridiculous song to Bilbo (Chapter 11). Also, I couldn't help talking about dwarves' hopping. Who can imagine our dwarves "hopping"? Ori possibly. I'm sure Dwalin doesn't "hop" on principle. Regardless, all of the "in they hopped" -ing from Chapter 1 was too good. I normally don't care what the book says compared to the films, but these stuck with me.**

**A/N: I've always wanted to get rid of Reese's Galadriel chapter. It doesn't sit well with me and feels a bit too fanciful, but whenever I go to remove it I decide I like it. So instead I decided to give Kili his own Galadriel chapter as well. I'm not sure the balance makes me feel better about either though :D**


	41. Family Scene

"Thank God, it's warmer down here," Reese sighed as she followed Adam and Borgia into the courtyard at Rivendell.

"I'd rather be home," Adam grunted.

"I think this is the last trip I'll be making for awhile," Reese agreed.

"Won't argue with that," Adam muttered.

Reese rubbed her hands together vigorously, not noticing until she'd run into him that Adam had stopped abruptly before her. Her breath left her as Borgia ran into her from behind, clearly also not paying attention.

"What the …, " Reese asked as she peered around Adam to see what had caused him to stop so suddenly.

"Is that who I think it is? "Adam asked in a low voice. Borgia hissed. Splayed before them on a bench in the courtyard in Rivendell, lay none other than Thorin Oakenshield, King under the Mountain, looking incredibly smug, while a petite ginger haired woman of Men stretched above him like a cat scratching his beard and giggling while he teasingly ran his hand up her heavy velvet skirt.

"We are in Rivendell, right?" Adam muttered, although Reese did not miss the menacing tone in his voice. She had shared with them the details of her encounter with Thorin and Balin when they had returned to Bree just four weeks earlier. Neither Reese nor Borgia answered as they stared at the pair in dumbfounded silence. She hadn't expected to encounter the dwarves again in Rivendell, although it made sense when she thought of it. They were all travelling east, and there weren't that many roads or places to stop in Middle Earth.

The majestic King Under the Mountain suddenly became aware he and his woman were not alone and looked up at them startled, blinking uncomprehendingly. Then several things happened at once.

Reese found her brain was moving much more quickly than it had been a month earlier now that she'd moved into the second trimester. She was sure she was in the second trimester because she was no longer painfully tired, replaced with instead being painfully aroused at all times. However, she wasn't thinking of her constant state at this moment. She was not going to miss a second opportunity to speak with Kili.

"Kili!" she hollered up into the valley, hoping her calls would reach him, as she began to sprint towards the steps leading up from the courtyard into Rivendell. She was not going to miss a second opportunity.

Thorin, whose mind appear to have realised the same as Reese's, unceremoniously dumped the woman on his lap to the cobblestones. The woman emitted a small squeal as her backside hit the hard ground. That was going to leave a bruise. She was a ginger afterall. The woman stared after Thorin in astonishment as he leapt to his feet and plummeted towards, Reese, remarkably quickly for a dwarf with an erection and a prominent limp. She didn't remember noticing his limp in Bree. He seemed to be favouring his right leg. Had that happened since then? Reese shook the thought form her head.

"Kili!" Reese shrieked again, her shrill panicked voice echoing off the valley and walls, hopefully heard over the sound of the falling water around them that didn't freeze, even in winter. "Kili! Kili!"

"Nooooo!" Thorin bellowed as he raced towards her. Reese didn't know how she was going to evade him. Even when not pregnant she was far from skilled in any form of combat compared to him. However, the ginger appeared to have quickly gleaned Thorin's purpose, and shouted after him.

"No! She's with child!" How the ginger knew this, Reese didn't know, since she was hardly showing through her bulky winter coat, instead looking as though she was just rounder and more plump than before. But she wasn't one to miss an opportunity. Thorin's pause, however slight, as he glanced at the ginger, gave Reese the opening she required as she turned to Thorin and kicked him in the thigh on his right leg with as much strength as she could muster.

She'd been right that he'd been favouring this leg, and his groan was audible as he stumbled, only to be tackled by Borgia. Thorin fought back with the strength he could muster as he tried to regain his breath.

"Get off me!" Thorin gasped before cursing as Borgia held a knife to his throat.

"You like manhandling pregnant women who are alone in inns in Bree?" Borgia hissed. For whatever reason, Reese was one person in the world that Borgia was loyal to, cared in any way for.

Reese glanced over her shoulder to make sure Borgia wasn't doing any real damage to Thorin and saw Adam had entered the scuffle as well while the ginger stood a few steps away turning in confusion between the tangle of men before her and Reese, who was now sprinting up the stairs.

"Kiliiiiiii!" Reese hollered, seeing out of the corner of her eye that Borgia now had Thorin pinned while Adam held Borgia's knife at bay, Adam was clearly not trying very hard to let Thorin get up.

Reese caught sight of a pair of elves nearby who had come to investigate the source of the disturbance but had paused, clearly unwilling to disrupt whatever was taking place between the dwarf king and the Futurians. They stood, mouths slightly agape in shock, as Reese huffed up the stairs, pausing to shout again.

Her yell stopped in her throat when she saw Kili's dark head turn a corner as he peered down into the courtyard, a confused look on his emaciated face.

His features darkened when he saw Reese and he stopped, not moving any further towards her, but she was relieved to see that he didn't move to escape her.

"Kili!" she gasped one last time, as she finished sprinting up the stairway.

He stood staring at her as though unable to believe that she was actually standing before him. She took a step towards him but stopped, instincts telling her she should not move any closer, and instead clutched the railing at the top of the stairs, gasping for breath.

She heard Thorin make muffled shouting noises and following Kili's gazed glanced over her shoulder to see that Borgia and Adam had Thorin pinned like a starfish and that the petite woman was now straddling Thorin's chest, muffling his shouts with her small hand as he rolled his head around wildly trying to see where Reese and Kili were.

By this time they had drawn quite a crowd of elves who were much more interested in the scene before them than in the dwarf and Futurian that stood partially obscured by a tree on a small landing. She even saw that Balin had joined the crowd but was only sitting sweetly on the bench Thorin and the ginger had previously occupied, doing nothing to protect the king he was so loyal to. He glanced up at Reese and Kili before turning back to the scene before him.

Reese blinked once to make sure she was seeing the situation correctly before turning back to Kili. Her heart warmed to see a flash of confusion followed by humour cross his eyes before replaced again by the lost dead look that frightened her.

"Reese," he said in a flat tone, "Why have Wren, Adam, and Borgia attacked uncle in the courtyard?"

She bit her lip nervously. "Well, I believe Adam and Borgia are a bit annoyed at him for something he did to me in Bree a month ago," she began. Kili blinked when she referred to seeing Thorin in Bree as she continued. "I don't know why that woman is trying to muffle him, but maybe it has to do with his dumping her unceremoniously on her bum when he tried to tackle me before I started shouting for you and running up these stairs."

She watched him carefully as she spoke, gauging his reaction to see if he wanted to be protected from her. His lips twitched and he swallowed before he spoke. "Fili will be furious that he missed this."

Reese ventured to move towards him again and this time felt she had permission to come closer. She did so until she stood before him, all thought of the scene behind her now forgotten, when she realized she didn't know what to say.

She stood before him, mouth slightly open as though ready to speak, raised hands clasped in front of her chin, and hardly knew where to start. She watched his gaze travel over her, surveying her. He was calm, bordering on detached, but she saw sadness there as well. Deep, unrelenting sadness and grief.

She swallowed once and closed her eyes, feeling suddenly overwhelmed by the urge to cry, and fought back tears. She would for once in her life not selfishly put her own emotions before his. She may never change, but maybe just in this moment she could manage to be the person he deserved. Taking a breath she lowered her hands to hold them loosely before her and straightened her back, returning his sad calm gaze. She wished she saw hope there. She finally opened her mouth again and let the words come.

"Kili," she said his name, again. "I've spent months yearning for this moment. I've done nothing but think about if you would take me back, if you could forgive me for leaving like that, for being so foolish, so selfish, so inconsiderate. For not trusting you. I've spent hours and hours wondering if it I would be making it even worse if I tried to contact you, or even tried to go to you. And I realized just this moment that I never once spent a moment thinking about what I would say. And I feel so silly now, because you'd think I'd have thought about that, right? I mean, and the thing is all I could think about is getting to you, being with you, and if you still wanted me."

She paused. His face hadn't changed at all as she spoke, and he continued to survey her with the same detached sad expression. She felt tears prick her eyes again and took another deep breath as she closed them tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Kili. For everything. For leaving the way I did. But not just for that. I'm sorry for everything I put you through, for always pushing you away. For being childish and selfish. I did everything I could to avoid the love you were offering me, and I shouldn't have. I should have gone forward, accepted it, even though it was scary." She paused and had to clasp her hands tightly again as they had started to shake.

"I've made so many mistakes, and the thing is, I'll probably make hundreds more. And you deserve so much better than me, but please, I need to know ... I mean ... I was hoping you could tell me, is it at all possible, that is." She felt herself stumble over her words, trying to not sound demanding or insistent. She wanted to make it easy for him to say no, and she avoided his gaze as she spoke the most difficult word.

"What I mean to say is that I love you, more than ever, and I never stopped loving you. And if you still love me, do you think you could give me a second chance? To show you how much I honor and respect and trust you? To treat you the way you deserve to be treated? Because I see now how horrible I was, that I treated you as an inconvenience, as though having you in my life made it worse. And it didn't. It made it so much better, Kili. You brought me back to life. And I threw it away because I'm a selfish, self-centered woman, who always puts herself first. And that's probably not the best way to try to convince you, but I need you to see that I know that now. And the thing is that looking back, I don't think you should take me back, because I think I made you miserable. I made your life hell, while you made mine beautiful and joyful. But I hope that you give me a second chance, a chance to make your life better too, not just take for myself and suck you dry. To show you the love that you deserve."

She realized she'd started to ramble and as she stopped talking she wasn't even sure if she'd asked a clear question. She raised her eyes to his and gasped, seeing that they were full of tears. She'd never seen him cry and was astonished, unsure what to do or say. She moved to touch him, but he held his hand up abruptly, stopping her. She clasped her hands together again, gripping them tightly as her heart and throat ached as she saw him struggle with his pain.


	42. What Kili Said

"I needed you," he finally said, his voice low and tight. Reese nodded, her own tears finally spilling down her cheeks.

"I failed you," she answered. He laughed in agreement, a cold harsh sound.

"I was alone," he continued. "So alone, and humiliated. I thought we were going to build a life together, and then you were gone. And I didn't know if you were dead. I was worried sick. And I knew you were probably safe, but I was going out of my mind, just with the worry. Not even to mention the devastation, the humiliation."

Reese nodded, not speaking, waiting for him to say more.

"And I needed you, I needed my One. I needed you by my side, like you promised. And I was so lost and alone, and the things ...," his voice broke, and he shook his head, "The things that happened, the things I saw. You couldn't have stopped that, I know, but just to know I wasn't alone, that I wasn't discarded, abandoned. That even though ... even though I couldn't help them ... protect those people, my kin, those children in the town ... that I still had honour."

He stopped speaking and stared over her shoulder at some unknown point. She wondered what images he was seeing as he spoke. She didn't need him to explain, though. And every word he said was true, and she knew she had no right after nearly four months of no contact to even ask him to take her back. But she has nothing to lose. She had to try.

"I'm so sorry, Kili," she whispered. He furrowed his brow and dropped his eyes, nodding once to show he understood as he kept his eyes from her.

"Please don't give up on me, Kili. I'm so sorry I wasn't the person that you needed me to be. I should have followed you. I didn't even give you a chance. Please ..." Her voice trailed off and she realized she didn't have anymore to say. There were no more words, no more ideas, no more pleas to be made. She could only wait until he finally spoke.

"I never stopped loving you," he said as he reached his shaking hand for hers, grasping it tightly. "And I never will, Reese. Never. I wished I could, but I couldn't as much as I tried. I'll never stop wanting you with me."

He sighed as he pulled her to him, the first sign that he had any desire to touch her, and she felt him sag against her as though he was relieved to finally have her near, as though he had been physically weakened and had been holding himself up by sheer will alone. She didn't mind at all. She had enough strength for the both of them. She wrapped her arms around him as he leaned into her while she deeply inhaled his musky scent that she had missed so much. She rested her head on his shoulder the way they used to and her arms remembered how to wrap around his waist, just below his ribs.

Normally he would let his arms rest over hers, but he instead had them wrapped tightly around her shoulders. She felt him shudder and realized he was crying now, a deep sob that seemed to come from his core. She caught her breath. She knew that sound, the sound of a person who had lost so much, carried more grief than they could ever express. She would not fail him.

They stood like that for a moment longer, Reese supporting him as his ribs continued to heave silently. Bringing her hand up to the back of his head, she tangled her hands in his hair and encouraged him to rest his cheek on her shoulder.

They remained motionless for several more minutes before Reese glanced up and caught the eye of an elf maid nearby who gently inclined her head towards the corner Kili had appeared around. Reese understood and gently led Kili behind the elfmaid who led them down a short corridor to the very room Reese had stayed in during her past brief visit to Rivendell.

Reese let them into the room and saw it was strewn with Kili's things, the scent of him stronger in here. The bed was made, and she led him to it, gently coaxing him down onto it. She laid down beside him and wrapped herself around him as much as any person could, continuing to hold him close to her. Before long she was surprised as his gasps lengthened into long deep breaths, and she realized he was asleep.

They lay twined together as Kili slept and slept while Reese considered the recent events. She kept stroking his hair and pulling away to look at him to make sure he was real, and she felt she was in a daze, unable to believe what had just happened. Finally unable to ignore her bladder any longer, Reese gently disentangled herself from him. When she returned, she stood gazing at him. Hours must have passed without her noticing as the light began to dim. And yet he continued to sleep.

"You are exhausted, aren't you my love?" She murmured as she gazed on his slumbering face and saw it was so much more relaxed than when she'd seen him in Bree. Guilt stabbed at her chest as she imagined how she had left him alone to cope with the agony of the battle and his survivor's guilt.

Standing up she glanced at his boots and reached to gently tug them from his feet. He didn't even stir, so deep was his sleep. She then pulled his pants, becoming less gentle, especially as it became apparent that he was not going to wake if she had to be a bit rougher to get some of his clothing off.

As she pulled his pants from his body her eyes caught a large red scar on his outter thigh of his right leg. The wound was healed but looked as though it had been deep and angry with a black tinge to it as though something poisonous had tainted the flesh there. Her hands shook as she reached for it but decided better, thinking even the pain from such a scar could waken him if touched.

She reached for his belt and realized how deeply he slept when he didn't stir as she required repeated attempts to finally remove it, the click loudly reverberating around the room. She pulled his tunic up, steeling herself from what she expected she'd find. When she first saw the angry scars that littered his torso, she cried out softly and stumbled backwards. Sitting on a chair across the room, she wrapped her arms around her own torso, imagining the agony of the injuries causing those scars. He must have barely escaped with his life. She was unsure how long passed before she was able to stand again and approach him, determined she would not fail him now. These were only the first of the scars she was sure to encounter.

Reaching again for his tunic she gently pulled it up. His stomach and chest were a mess of puncture wounds. Tears poured freely down her cheeks as she removed his arms from his tunic, gently folding it and setting it on a chair. She would have gone mad if she'd seen him after the battle injured like this.

She lit a lamp by the bed and turned one last time to gaze upon him. He was stretched naked on the bed, and his skin was a wrecked field of pits and divots from healed wounds. Before it had been so smooth, pristine, with only the odd scar that always had a funny story attached to it. The man of that time was clearly long gone, replaced by one whose emotional scars ran even deeper than these physical wounds.

Reese pulled the blankets out from under him, grateful to see that the elves had provided heavy winter robes for the dwarves. Removing her own clothing, but leaving her tunic, feeling she was pushing their intimacy too soon to press her bare skin against his, she slid beneath the robes and wrapped her arms around him. He nuzzled into her, moving to rest his cheek in a childlike manner against her chest.

It was hours before Reese slept as her mind raced over the events of the past hours. At some moments, she felt hollow inside, as though she was so surprised by the events, that she could hardly believe it, felt emotionally disconnected from it. She could hardly lie still, although Kili in his deep slumber didn't seem to mind.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm speeding up the posting schedule everyone. Lots of people wanted a sooner update, and I don't want to wait either. The last chapter will be posted in the next few days, on the 31st at the. There is one shout out I'd like to include here for Guest who I couldn't respond to directly. I'm so glad that you have enjoyed this story, and I'm so glad you like how I've portrayed Kili and Thorin!**

**A/N: I've posted a piece called On the Road Again that is a modern daIf people want to understand her better they can check that story out. Kili in his infinite hotness is there too, of course. I also want to take a moment to thank EVERYONE who was so helpful for me during the process of this story. There were quite a few of you who PMed me to check in and helped me work through the writer's block I had.**


	43. The Last Chapter

It was in the early morning when she finally was able to pass into sleep. She awoke in the afternoon, again by her bladder, and saw that Kili had hardly moved in the night. She gently pulled herself from his grasp, then slid back between the covers once she had relieved herself. She accidentally brushed against his erect penis and pulled back as though burnt.

She wasn't alarmed that he had an erection. But she felt as though she was violating him in some way, that she didn't yet have his permission for such intimacies as much as she wanted them. She settled back in the bed, carefully positioning herself, frustrated that she was unable to stop her body from reacting with arousal.

Hours passed as she was lost in her thoughts, still not believing the events that had come to pass. After awhile, she could no longer ignore the rumblings of her stomach. An elf had brought her pack and a light meal shortly after she'd woken, but as the light dimmed into yet another evening, she was becoming ravenous. Kili slept on, and sometimes she became alarmed and checked him to make sure that he was still alive. He seemed to be making up for the sleep he hadn't gotten for months.

fReese was pulling on her boots when a light tap came at her door. She opened it and was surprised to find the slight ginger standing before her, a friendly smile stretched across her red mouth. Reese blinked as she surveyed the woman's face, trying hard not to stare. The woman's right cheekbone was bright purple, slightly swollen, the bruise angry and startling. The woman looked as though she's been recently beaten or in a fight.

"I thought you might be hungry," the woman said, holding out a tray heavily laden. Trying to ignore the bruise, Reese stared at her, taking in her skinny frame, freckled nose, orange hair, and oddly coloured slanted eyes. Reese hadn't gotten a good look at her before, and now Reese was taken aback by the woman's unusual appearance. In the time Reese came from, this woman would be considered to be very attractive and exotic. However, in Middle Earth, she'd likely have been considered quite unappealing. But her gaze was clear and direct, which normally Reese found slightly disconcerting in people, but rather liked in the woman before her.

Reese took the tray nodding gratefully, quickly setting it down on the table by the door.

"Thank you," she said, turning back to the woman. "This is very kind of you. I didn't want to leave him, but he doesn't appear to be waking and my stomach has been rumbling for hours."

The woman laughed. "Well, dwarven pregnancies require a great deal of nourishment, and I thought you must be ready to eat a limb. I wasn't sure if the fare I'd had the elves deliver this afternoon was adequate, but I oversaw the preparation of this tray myself to make sure the provisions were sufficient."

Reese stared at her in disbelief, having quite forgotten the woman's declaration the day before. "How did you know?" she asked in astonishment.

The woman winked at her. "Well, I will tell you, but only if you do not yet share it with the King. I'm revealing these parts of myself to him slowly." Reese nodded, realizing she had no idea who this woman was or what her relationship was to Thorin. "I have a touch of magic that allows me to communicate with unborn children. I could tell immediately that you are into your second trimester and that the father is a dwarf."

Reese gaped at her in astonishment. She'd never heard of a woman possessing such a thing in Middle Earth.

The woman laughed at her expression. "It has proven quite useful in my years as a midwife." Reese nodded mutely, and the woman blinked.

"Forgive me, I seem to have forgotten myself. I am Wren, a healer from Bree, and betrothed to Thorin Oakenshield."

"Betrothed...?" Reese repeated in shock. "Thorin is betrothed?"

Wren's smile widened. "So it seems," she laughed lightly. Reese smiled with her as the woman seemed slightly giddy at the thought. Reese suddenly thought that this woman appeared to be very much in love as she shared this news with Reese.

"Well then it is with deepest pleasure that I meet you, my lady," Reese breathed. "I believe you know who I am, but just in case, my name is Reese Jacobson, and I am a Futurian."

"So I have been informed!" Wren exclaimed. "Rather loudly I might add by that cantankerous dwarf I am to be wedded to."

Reese snorted and quickly covered her mouth, glancing over her shoulder but seeing Kili had not stirred.

"I don't believe we could wake him if we wished," Wren said, following Reese's gaze.

"I think you're right," Reese agreed.

"I don't know yet exactly what happened to him, but in the short time I've known him, I believe he's not slept at all unaided by ale. I've seen it in several men returning from combat or similar trauma. The dreams …." Wren waved her hand as trailed off as she peered at Kili. "Sometimes those who are particularly gentle and kind suffer the most. He seems much more settled already."

Reese nodded, turning back to Wren. "Would you like to come in?"

Wren shook her head, and Reese smiled as the future queen's mad copper curls bounced around her shoulders. "Thank you, but I'll leave you in peace. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to catch up. And you are needed most by him right now." There was understanding in Wren's words, and Reese gazed into the woman's strange eyes, searching for judgment and finding none. Only compassion and sincerity.

Reese felt her eyes swell again and the woman laughed with her as Reese brushed at them impatiently. "Would you like some clothing sent up?" the woman asked. "Or anything laundered?"

Reese was grateful. "Yes, please. If someone could please come by for them. We were only planning to be here one night before returning to Adelaide today. I wasn't expecting to need anything clean."

Wren nodded quickly and swept into the room, surprising Reese as she scooped up the discarded garments. "I'll have someone bring you warm clothing quickly, maybe something to sleep in. Are your blankets warm enough?"

"They are, thanks," Reese smiled. "Sharing a bed with a dwarf is like having a personal heater, and carrying his child is even warmer."

"Well, I'll leave you, then," Wren said as she bustled out the door. "Oh, have you told him yet?"

Reese paused, before colouring briefly. "No," she cast her eyes downward. "He fell asleep so quickly. There wasn't time."

Wren nodded. "Fair enough. I'll inform the King that he will simply have to remain silent a while longer. He's bursting to storm in here and have a 'discussion.'"

Reese snorted imagining this small woman instructing Thorin Oakenshield about what he could and could not do and didn't doubt for a minute that he was listening to every word dutifully.

"It's no matter," Wren added. "I think the last thing we need to treat the elves to another family ... scene." Reese cringed at Wren's words, and Wren reached out to gently pat Reese's arm. "Don't worry about causing a fuss. It was the right thing to do. Thorin would never have let you speak to Kili. He thought he was doing the right thing by keeping you apart."

Reese exhaled, relieved. Wren made to leave the room when Reese stopped her unable to suppress her curiosity any longer. "Wren, what happened to your eye?"

"Oh that," Wren waved her hand. "Thorin hit me."

Reese choked on the bread she had stolen from the tray. "Pardon me?"

"Oh not like that. I snuck up on him in the night, and he thought I was an attacker."

Reese gaped at her, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Alright," Wren sang. "Sleep well, and goodnight!" She bustled through the door and after a moment Reese shut it gently beside her.

Reese woke on the second morning to find the bed empty. Fear gripped her as she sat up in the cold bed but instantly exhaled in relief when she saw Kili in a chair near the side of the bed wearing his trousers and tunic.

"Shhhh, I'm here," he said as he moved to the side of the bed. He pulled her to him and held her tightly.

"I thought you'd changed your mind," she breathed into his shoulder, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

"Never," he murmured, stroking her hair. She pulled away after a moment and looked at him. He still had dark bruises under his eyes, but his gaze seemed clearer. He seemed slightly less sad than the day before. She knew way better than to expect that her mere presence would help him overnight. They both had a long journey ahead of them.

"The sleep did you good," she said.

"It did," he agreed, and then he actually smiled at her. It transformed his face and she glimpsed the man he was before. He stood, bringing the tray over the bed to allow Reese to have what she wanted.

"Still so considerate," she said. "Wren brought this by last night."

"Oh, so you met?" Kili asked.

Reese nodded, her mouth full.

"She's very perceptive," he added. Reese raised her brows at his tone. She wondered what else Wren saw that others thought they were keeping hidden.

Reese made to get up to put the tray back on the table, but Kili took it from her before coming to settle on the side of the bed again.

"Reese, may I kiss you?" he asked suddenly. She looked at him in surprise before nodding. He locked his eyes with hers, and she felt as though she was sinking into the warm brown pools, her heart beating rapidly and willingly. He leaned in slowly and brushed his lips against hers as her eyes fluttered shut. She immediately felt herself swell with desire but determinedly shoved those feelings aside. She would not rush him. He would likely not be ready for a long time.

However, he seemed to disagree with her as his kiss quickly became more insistent. She couldn't help smiling. Dwarven libido seemed to be insatiable, even when under duress.

"Mahal, I've missed you so much," he murmured as he shifted to press her back into the bed before deepening their kiss. "Am I rushing things?" he asked suddenly. She shook her head as she pulled him to her again, feeling her nightgown become wet quickly as he came to kneel between her legs. She felt his erection pressing against her stomach as he hovered slightly above her, supporting himself with his arms as he moved his mouth over hers. She brought her hands up to tangle in his glorious hair, pulling him to her more tightly as she began to grind her hips upward into his, feeling gratified when he let out a low growl as he bucked his own hips forward. She gasped as he ground into her while his mouth began to travel down her neck before moving back to her mouth. He moved to settle his weight on her fully when she panicked, realizing he could not lie on top of her like this without crushing her hardening stomach, snapping her out of her aroused daze as she remembered she had to tell him of her pregnancy.

"Stop," she gasped, pushing him away. He complied immediately, almost scrambling to the end of the bed as though frightened.

"Are you well?" he asked. "Was it too much? If it was, I'm very sorry. It's been so long." He looked ashamed as though he thought he'd done something wrong.

"Everything is fine," Reese assured him. "And there's no way that you could want this more than I do. But there's something I have to tell you first."

He stared at her as she steeled herself. She had no reason to be afraid. She knew he wanted her now even if she wasn't pregnant, and she knew he would be happy. But she felt nervous. She'd spent so long trying to figure out what she would say in this moment.

"Kili, I'm pregnant."

He stared at her as though not understanding at first, before finally repeating her. "Pregnant?"

"Yes," she said. "The baby is yours," she rushed to add, realizing he might wonder. "I was always going to tell you, even before yesterday's that was the plan. I was just waiting until there was less danger of losing the baby."

He blinked as she spoke. "But how?" he asked. "I thought you were …."

"The herbs fell under the bed when we … that time when I got back from Rivendell," he nodded as she spoke, "And I didn't realize until weeks later, after I …." He nodded again, showing her he knew she spoke of when she returned to Adelaide after leaving him.

A slow smile broke over his face, and he reached for her hand, gripping it tightly. "We will have a child?" he asked.

"Well, yes, my love. I believe that will be the outcome," she couldn't help joking to break the tension slightly and was glad to see him laugh. He leapt up from the bed, pulling her with him into a hug, resting his hand on the back of her head as he held her tightly to him.

"I love you so much, Reese," he murmured.

"I love you too," she whispered back. They stood like this for a moment before he pulled away and looked at her. She reached up to kiss him. She was even more aroused than before and felt her whole body aching with need. He kissed her back but pushed her away when she tried to deepen the kiss.

"Reese," he began, "Even though you are not dwarrow, I would like for us to practice azjânu sanu. We would have the ceremony right away. Balin could perform it. "

Reese nodded as she gazed into his chocolate brown eyes. "What is that?" she asked.

"It's the ritual of not engaging in carnal relations during the paturniency."

"Excuse me?"

"No sex," he clarified.

Reese stared at him, mouth hanging open. "Is this a joke?" she asked. She actually felt panicked, her arousal was reaching a nearly painful level.

"No, it is not."

If Kili had known about cameras, he would have wished to have one at that moment to take a picture of her face.

~The End~

A/N: thank you for reading, following, and favouriting. At this point there are not plans for a sequel. It's been a great journey.


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